Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI: Plantro Ltd. Releases Questions for Information Services Corporation’s 2025 First Quarter Earnings Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plantro Ltd. (“Plantro”) a shareholder of Information Services Corporation (TSX: ISC) (“ISC” or the “Company”) today released questions it hopes ISC management will address to investors and the news media on its 2025 first quarter earnings call.

    1. ISC just reported one of its worst quarters of cash generation in many years. With cash expense levels remaining elevated, when can shareholders expect an improvement in non-adjusted cash flow?
    2. Achieving ISC’s 2028 management guidance for adjusted EBITDA will require annual growth of 16% -18% from 2025 to 2028. What organic growth rate is the Company targeting in 2026 – 2028 to help meet that guidance?
    3. How will ISC generate the cash required for the M&A the Company says it needs to meet its 2028 guidance without exceeding its commitment to continue deleveraging to its target of 2.0x to 2.5x EBITDA or without diluting shareholders by issuing equity?
    4. ISC’s valuation has been declining since its IPO and significantly lags its peers. Will ISC consider returning capital through repurchasing shares or increasing dividends, and/or reducing indebtedness as better uses of shareholder cash than additional non-accretive M&A?
    5. The majority of ISC’s workforce appears to be concentrated and growing in high-cost global hubs, such as Toronto and Dublin, Ireland. Will ISC consider establishing a center of excellence in Saskatchewan, that could offer enhanced operational performance and enable opportunities for margin expansion?

    About Plantro
    Plantro is a privately held company, with an established track record of making successful investments in undervalued and high quality legal, financial, and information services businesses.

    Media Contact: Gagnier Communications
    Riyaz Lalani / Dan Gagnier
    Email: Plantro@gagnierfc.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Rudy R. Miller Among Most Generous Donors to National Museum of the United States Army Campaign

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORT BELVOIR, Va., May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Army Historical Foundation announced that Rudy R. Miller has presented a gift to the campaign for the National Museum of the United States Army that qualifies him for the Foundation’s One-Star Circle of Distinction. The Museum, which will debut a special Revolutionary War exhibit in June marking the 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army and next year’s 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, has been praised as one of the top military museums in the nation.

    Rudy R. Miller stated, “I became a member and early supporter of The Army Historical Foundation and the National Museum of the United States Army a few years ago. In 2024, I was very proud to become a lifetime member of The 1814 Society, which shares a commitment and desire to see the Army’s history preserved and exhibited for future generations. I have great respect for our flag plus symbols of our nation’s freedom and independence.”

    Miller continued, “I was born in Tennessee and raised in Virginia. My grandfather, father, uncle, brother, and myself all served in the U.S. Army. I am a passionate, motivated individual, a serial entrepreneur, and a philanthropist. I’m inspired by the Foundation’s challenge coin which has the following words engraved, “ENGAGE * EDUCATE * INSPIRE * HONOR * PRESERVE!”

    The Army Historical Foundation serves as the official fundraising organization for the National Army Museum as part of its mission to preserve and present the history of the American Soldier. The Museum, which is owned and operated by the U.S. Army, is the first to tell the entire history of the nation’s oldest military service, immersing visitors in the Army story through compelling galleries, moving exhibits, a multisensory 300-degree theater, tranquil rooftop garden, and hundreds of historic artifacts rarely or never-before seen by the public.

    “Rudy Miller has led a lifetime of service to our great nation, and we are deeply grateful that he has made a defining gift toward the Foundation’s mission to preserve and present the history of the American Soldier,” said retired Brig. Gen. Burt Thompson, president of The Army Historical Foundation. “With Rudy’s support, we will be better able to remind the nation of all we owe those who wore the Army uniform, including Rudy himself and the members of his proud military family.”

    Rudy R. Miller’s contribution places him among the campaign’s most generous donors. Mr. Miller is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Miller Capital Corporation, a private equity firm and an affiliated company of The Miller Group of entities, established in 1972. Mr. Miller was Founder and Chairman of the Board of Miller Capital Markets, a FINRA member investment banking firm, from 2006 through 2012. He previously served over 20 years as a certified arbitrator for the NASD (now known as FINRA). He has years of executive-level experience owning, operating, and advising national and international corporations, from NYSE listed public companies to emerging-growth private companies, through varying economic climates. He has worked with various U.S. government contractors and possesses the ability to address crisis issues on behalf of his clients as one of his crucial skillsets. In 2025, Miller Capital was voted Best of Our Valley – Best Investment Firm for the sixth consecutive year by Arizona Foothills Magazine’s readers who responded with hundreds of thousands votes.

    Mr. Miller served in the United States Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and the U.S. Air Force Reserve, in the Vietnam era, and received honorable discharges as a Noncommissioned Officer. Mr. Miller also has an aviation background and is listed on the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Wall of Honor. Prior to his military service, he served as a fireman and first responder. Mr. Miller earned his Bachelor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Pacific Western University.

    President of the United States of America, Ronald W. Reagan, presented Mr. Miller the Medal of Merit in appreciation of his support and service as a member of a Presidential Task Force. Miller was honored to be the keynote speaker at a U.S. Navy Relinquishment of Command and Retirement Ceremony aboard the USS Midway Museum, San Diego, California in 2018. Mr. Miller accepted an invitation in 2014 to become a member of Thunderbird Field II Veterans Memorial, Inc., a non-profit organization for veterans and non-veterans. He was selected by the Board of Directors to be the Chairman of the Advisory Board where he developed and managed its Aviation Scholarship Program. Prior to retiring from Tbird2 in 2024, he served as Co-Chairman of the Scholarship Committee and a key fundraiser. He was the recipient of the first Tbird2 Leadership Award. Mr. Miller’s philanthropic endeavors include support for the non-profit arts community, athletic foundations, universities, community colleges, numerous non-profit entities, and veterans’ projects.

    In 2008, Mr. Miller instituted the annual Rudy R. Miller Business – Finance Scholarship in support of Arizona State University, in particular the W. P. Carey School of Business. His active involvement at the University also included having served as a member of ASU’s Dean’s Council of 100. In 2023, Mr. Miller was selected by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to join two influential advisory boards for both the College of Aviation (COA) and the College of Business, Security and Intelligence (CBSI). In addition to joining Embry-Riddle’s COA and CBSI advisory boards, Miller has established scholarships for students, both veterans and non-veterans, at both colleges. He also set up a fund to support COA simulator training to improve commercial pilot safety (ISCP) as well as a fund to support CBSI students with CompTIA Security+ courseware and exam fees.

    In January 2024, Mr. Miller accepted a position on the Advisory Board at CrossFirst Bank (Phoenix, Arizona), a subsidiary of CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. Effective March 1, 2025, First Busey Corporation (NASDAQ: BUSE), the holding company for Busey Bank, acquired by merger CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. Mr. Miller agreed to continue to serve on the Busey Bank (Arizona) Advisory Board.

    For more information about Rudy R. Miller and The Miller Group of entities, please visit www.themillergroup.net.

    Individuals and organizations that wish to support the Foundation’s mission can make a gift through its website at armyhistory.org. The Foundation can also arrange for large group visits and special events at the Museum. The Museum is open every day, except December 25, with free admission and parking.

    About The Army Historical Foundation
    The Army Historical Foundation establishes, assists, and promotes programs and projects that preserve the history of the American Soldier and promote public understanding of and appreciation for the contributions by all components of the U.S. Army and its members. The Foundation serves as the Army’s official fundraising entity for the Capital Campaign for the National Museum of the United States Army. The award-winning, LEED- certified Museum opened on November 11, 2020, at Fort Belvoir, Va., and honors the service and sacrifice of all American Soldiers who have served since the Army’s inception in 1775. For more information on the Foundation and the National Museum of the United States Army, visit www.armyhistory.org.

    Official photographer for The Miller Group and its affiliated entities – Gordon Murray, 480 205-9691 (www.flashpv.com)

       
    Contact: Contact:
    The Army Historical Foundation Miller Capital Corporation
    Lydia Pitea Kristina McDaniel
    Senior Donor Relations Manager Vice President Admin & Corporate Controller
    lydia.pitea@armyhistory.org kmcdaniel@themillergroup.net
    973.632.1244 602.225.0505
       

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ec64ce26-7579-48b1-9fe9-9388078f1411

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3b9eef90-f7c5-427f-9de6-05efa2a0daf5

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cf3a312d-a7fa-4374-9fb0-efebf75aa551

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e0d35d5a-9a50-4004-886c-a838fc8936c5

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a0900908-b6ab-4d6f-bf2f-e3bc81e5ba64

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Thriving urban forests in dry climates: Innovative water management for resilience

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The webinar Thriving Urban Forests in Dry Climates: Innovative Water Management for Resilience, will focus on innovative solutions for addressing water scarcity in urban forests. Highlighting successful case studies from cities like Cuenca (Ecuador), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), and the work of SIWI’s LoCoFoRest initiative, the discussion will explore practical water management practices that help urban forests thrive in water-scarce environments. With the increasing urgency of climate change, this session aims to foster a collaborative, solution-oriented dialogue to build sustainable and resilient urban landscapes.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH, CMS Partner to Advance Understanding of Autism Through Secure Access to Select Medicare and Medicaid Data

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release
    Wednesday, May 7, 2025

    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced a landmark partnership to enable NIH to build a real-world data platform enabling advanced research across claims data, electronic medical records, and consumer wearables.
    This partnership will focus first on enabling research around the root causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the long term, the partnership will link real-world data, in a manner consistent with applicable privacy laws to protect Americans’ sensitive health information, for research on chronic conditions—a core priority of President Trump and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
    “We’re using this partnership to uncover the root causes of autism and other chronic diseases,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We’re pulling back the curtain—with full transparency and accountability—to deliver the honest answers families have waited far too long to hear.”
    CMS and NIH will start this partnership by establishing a data use agreement under CMS’ Research Data Disclosure Program focused on Medicare and Medicaid enrollees with a diagnosis of ASD. Using ASD as the pilot research program, teams at CMS and NIH will establish a secure tech-enabled mechanism to enhance this data sharing with timely, privacy and security compliant data exchange. This pilot research program will inform continued development of a landmark NIH platform to ultimately be used by researchers in understanding healthcare utilization, chronic disease etiology and treatment, and the economic burden of chronic conditions.
    “This partnership is an important step in our commitment to unlocking the power of real-world data to inform public health decisions and improve lives,” said NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. “Linking CMS claims data with a secure real-world NIH data platform, fully compliant with privacy and security laws, will unlock landmark research into the complex factors that drive autism and chronic disease – ultimately delivering superior health outcomes to the Americans we serve.”
    Researchers will focus on:

    Autism diagnosis trends over time
    Health outcomes from specific medical and behavioral interventions
    Access to care and disparities by demographics and geography
    The economic burden on families and healthcare systems

    With ASD prevalence now affecting 1 in 31 children in the United States, and with more than 25% of those individuals experiencing profound or severe autism, the need for multi-source, real-world data insights have never been more urgent.
    “This joint effort aligns with our shared goal of fostering innovation to improve Americans’ lives while safeguarding patient privacy,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “I look forward to working with Dr. Bhattacharya on this critical project.”
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: 4 planets discovered around Barnard’s star, one of the closest stars to Earth

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Astronomers confirm the existence of small, hot and likely rocky planets by observing the subtle gravitational wobbles of the star they orbit

    Researchers supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation have discovered four tiny exoplanets orbiting Barnard’s star, a red dwarf at the center of the nearest single-star system to Earth. Using a specialized instrument mounted on the NSF-supported Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii, the team detected “wobbles” in the motion of Barnard’s star by observing subtle shifts in the color of its light, indicating the gravitational pull from nearby exoplanets. The planets’ surfaces are too hot to support life as we know it.

    The researchers made their discovery using the M-dwarf Advanced Radial velocity Observer Of Neighboring eXoplanets (MAROON-X) spectrometer, which is designed to detect exoplanets. Their results were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters and show promise for finding and confirming more small planets around other red dwarf stars, which are numerous in the universe.

    “The U.S. National Science Foundation is collaborating with the astronomy community on an adventure to look deeper into the universe to detect planets with environments that might resemble Earth’s,” says Martin Still, NSF program director for the International Gemini Observatory. “The planet discoveries provided by MAROON-X mounted on Gemini North provide a significant step along that journey.”

    Most of the planets previously discovered in the Milky Way galaxy are much larger than Earth, making detecting these relatively tiny planets a fundamental step towards a more complete understanding of planet populations. Each of the four planets are only 20 to 30% the mass of Earth, and their proximity to Barnard’s star causes them to orbit around it in just a matter of days. The fourth planet is the smallest exoplanet ever detected using the radial velocity technique, opening new opportunities for discovering such small planets elsewhere.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Competition Bureau advances an investigation into BWX Technologies’ proposed acquisition of Kinectrics

    Source: Government of Canada News

    May 7, 2025 – GATINEAU (Québec), Competition Bureau

    The Competition Bureau has obtained court orders to gather information to advance its investigation into BWX Technologies’ proposed acquisition of Kinectrics. BWX Technologies and Kinectrics operate in the nuclear medicine sector, among other nuclear sectors.

    BWX Technologies and Kinectrics, directly or through a joint venture or partnership, provide products and services at various stages of the medical isotope value chain.

    The Bureau is investigating whether the acquisition is likely to result in a substantial lessening or prevention of competition in Canada’s nuclear medicine sector. The acquisition includes Kinectrics’ interest in Isogen, a company that enables the production of medical isotopes and is jointly owned with Framatome Canada.

    The court orders, granted by the Federal Court of Canada, require three market participants in the nuclear medicine sector to provide information and produce records and data related to but not limited to transaction agreements, capacity, sales, and competitive dynamics. The entities receiving court orders are Bruce Power, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Framatome Canada.

    The Bureau also issued supplementary information requests to BWX Technologies and Kinectrics.

    BWX Technologies announced its plan to acquire Kinectrics on January 7, 2025.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth to Trump’s VA Secretary: Your Work to Rehire Veterans Crisis Line Workers You Wrongly Fired Is Not Complete

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    May 07, 2025
    Senator criticized Sec. Collins for erroneously firing workers with Veterans Crisis Line without cause, jeopardizing the lives of Veterans who depend on it
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – As Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue their all-out assault against the VA and the brave Veterans it serves, today combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC)—called out VA Secretary Doug Collins for erroneously firing 24 probationary employees with the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL)—employees who help provide life-saving care and critical resources needed by Veterans in their darkest moments. While the VA may have reinstated some workers, Duckworth made it clear at today’s SVAC hearing that every position at the VCL is mission-critical and none of the fired or rehired workers should have been fired in the first place. The Senator also highlighted that the lack of transparency surrounding these VCL firings in the wake of mass layoffs underscores the urgent need for greater oversight from Congress. Duckworth’s full remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.
    “While I’m relieved Secretary Collins is finally telling the truth and acknowledging that that Veteran Crisis Line employees were fired—and that this was due to his incompetence, not malicious intent—Secretary Collins himself acknowledged that as of today, he has still failed to reinstate all probationary employees, while conveniently refusing to disclose exactly how many wrongfully terminated VA civil servants are still waiting to get back to work serving our Veterans,” said Duckworth. “The firing of these mission-critical employees was shrouded in a lack of transparency that cannot be tolerated. If Secretary Collins wants to make cuts to the Veterans Crisis Line, he should report them to Congress so we can ensure these cuts won’t weaken the VCL’s mission. The lives of our Veterans in crisis depend on this lifeline—and I’ll keep pushing to defend it.”
    Duckworth has been a fierce leader and advocate for VA staff and Veteran Crisis Line (VCL) workers in the wake of the disastrous Trump-Musk layoffs at the VA. Last week, Duckworth slammed a senior official from the VA after he failed to publicly commit to rehiring VCL workers who were wrongfully fired in Trump-Musk layoffs.
    After the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate purge of Veterans and VA employees, including staff who help operate the VCL, Duckworth led her fellow Democratic colleagues in demanding answers from Trump and VA Secretary Doug Collins on exactly who was impacted—requesting a list of public answers detailing the specific job categories that were impacted, how many of those fired were Veterans and more. After the first purge at VA laid off workers with the VCL—including several Veterans—Duckworth successfully pushed the Trump Administration to reinstate these devoted public servants that work to support our Veterans in their darkest moments.
    Last month, Duckworth introduced a resolution to condemn the Trump-Musk layoffs and demand the immediate reinstatement of all Veteran federal employees illegally and indiscriminately fired since Trump took office. Ultimately, Republicans blocked the resolution.
    Pushing for this resolution came after Duckworth and U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced their Protect Veteran Jobs Act last month, legislation that would reinstate the thousands of Veterans who were fired in the Trump-Musk layoffs. Duckworth and Kim subsequently introduced their legislation as an amendment to Republicans’ slush fund continuing resolution. Republicans shamefully blocked it from passing.
    In February, Duckworth also joined SVAC Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and a group of 34 Democratic Senators calling on VA Secretary Collins to immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated earlier that month who serve Veterans and their families nationwide, including critical employees addressing Veteran suicide working at the Veterans Crisis Line.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Well completions per location more than double in Lower 48 states as technology advances

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    May 7, 2025

    Data source: FracFocus
    Note: To calculate the number of wells completed per location, we grouped wells within a 50-foot radius into single locations. We then identified wells completed by their completion start and end dates, counting concurrent completions when their completion periods overlapped.

    We estimate that the average number of wells completed simultaneously at the same location in the Lower 48 states has more than doubled, increasing from 1.5 wells in December 2014 to more than 3.0 wells in June 2024. By completing multiple wells at once rather than sequentially, operators can accelerate their production timeline and reduce their cost per well. The increasing number of simultaneous completions reflects significant technological advances in hydraulic fracturing operations, particularly in equipment capabilities and operational strategies.

    Using data from FracFocus to estimate simultaneous completions, we defined wells that were drilled within a 50-foot radius to be at a single location. FracFocus reports the well completion date for each of these wells, and we calculated the average number of completions per month. By grouping the wells together by location, we derived the number of wells completed on the same day at the same location across the Lower 48 states.

    Simultaneous completions allow operators to reduce the time from post-drilling to production, lower overall completion costs per well, and increase operational efficiency through shared resources and equipment. Although the number of active locations has decreased since 2014, the number of wells has increased, likely because of simultaneous completions. Our analysis of FracFocus data suggests that simultaneous completions have increased since 2017, with operators now routinely completing multiple wells at a time on a single location. Although operators recognized the potential benefits of completing multiple wells at once prior to 2017, the practice initially faced technical barriers, such as the need for more hydraulic horsepower at the location to fracture multiple wells simultaneously.

    Data source: FracFocus
    Note: We define locations as clusters of wells within a 50-foot radius. A single location may contain one or multiple wells.

    The adoption of electric frac fleets, which provide better power management, has played a crucial role in the increase in simultaneous completions. Traditional operations relied entirely on diesel-powered pumps requiring constant fuel delivery by truck, but modern electric fleets use generators that can utilize field gas or compressed natural gas and electricity from the grid, if available.

    The transition from diesel-powered to electric frac fleets has streamlined operations by reducing costs and minimizing transportation logistics by utilizing locally available fuel sources. Additionally, improvements in equipment monitoring, optimization, and automation have helped operators manage the complexity of simultaneous completions.

    The trend toward more simultaneously completed wells continues to evolve as operators refine their simultaneous completion strategies. Although not all operators choose to perform simultaneous completions, the technology enabling these operations has become increasingly common across major shale basins. The penetration of electric frac fleets, advanced control systems, and improved process deployment suggests that simultaneous completions could continue to increase further.

    Principal contributors: Faouzi Aloulou, Merek Roman, Jozef Lieskovsky

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Global: Indonesia’s ‘thousand friends, zero enemies’ approach sees President Subianto courting China and US

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Gilang Kembara, Research Fellow, Nanyang Technological University

    Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto participates in a panel discussion in Antalya, Turkey, on April 11, 2025. Photo by Ahmet Serdar Eser/Anadolu via Getty Images

    For much of April and into May, a team of negotiators from Indonesia have been in Washington to discuss trading relations between the world’s largest economy and another forecast to be in the Top 5 within a generation.

    The Southeast Asian nation was among those hit hard by the across-the-board tariffs announced on April 2, 2025, by President Donald Trump, with a proposed 32% levy on its exports to the U.S. Trump subsequently backpedaled, putting in place a 90-day pause on any additional tariffs beyond a new 10% minimum.

    So far, Indonesia – whose-second largest export market is the United States – has signaled its intent to negotiate rather than respond with countermeasures like some other countries targeted by Trump, such as China and Canada.

    Indonesia may even offer to relax protectionist policies aimed at boosting domestic manufactures as a concession. “People who have known me for a long time would say I’m the most nationalist person … but we have to be realistic,” said President Prabowo Subianto.

    The issue of Trump’s tariff policy is a major early test for Subianto, a right-wing populist whose worldview was shaped by decades of military experience. He views Indonesia and its place in the broader world through a lens of realist power politics – wanting to ensure Indonesia possesses adequate hard military power and robust economic performance.

    Through pushing both, Subianto hopes to ensure that Indonesia is not easily swayed by foreign influence and can avoid domestic discontent due to any economic malaise. His approach to ruling the nation of over 280 million people is driven by a desire to retain friendly relations with the United States and China, retaining close economic and security cooperation with both.

    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on April 16, 2025.
    Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

    Good neighbors, multilateral expansion

    Since declaring independence from the Netherlands almost 80 years ago, Indonesia’s foreign policy has been tied to a doctrine of “Bebas dan Aktif,” or “Free and Active.”

    Formulated by the country’s first president, Sukarno, at the onset of the Cold War, the policy intended to keep the country officially nonaligned from any major power bloc. While moving much closer to the West and the U.S. during the subsequent longtime authoritarian presidency of Suharto, Jakarta retained its official independent position in foreign policy.

    Subianto served in the military during the reign of Suharto, who was also at one point his father-in-law.

    As Indonesia’s leader, Subianto has pledged to enact a so-called foreign policy philosophy of “zero enemies, one thousand friends.” That approach stems from two main considerations. First, he seeks to secure economic agreements that will help fulfill his promise of 8% annual economic growth. Second, he aims to strengthen defense procurement and security cooperation to bolster Indonesia’s military position.

    Toward multilateralism

    As a part of his vision, Subianto has attempted to reframe some of the considerations that have long guided Jakarta’s foreign policy strategy.

    For decades, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has served as Indonesia’s collective security buffer, forming a crucial component of its “Mandala” – or concentric circles – foreign policy perspective. However, the current administration has thus far appeared indifferent to using the regional body as a source of projecting power, as underscored by Indonesia’s absence from the ASEAN informal consultations on conflict-ridden Myanmar in December 2024.

    That is just one of several indications that Subianto is attempting to shift Indonesia’s role from a regional actor to an active global player.

    A crucial development in that more assertive approach came with the country’s accession in January 2025 to the BRICS groups of nations, the first time a Southeast Asian nation has been admitted.

    In a further bid to multilateral engagement, Indonesia has initiated plans to pursue membership in two transnational economic groupings: the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

    Much of this inclination toward multilateral engagement is rooted in Subianto’s worldview that can be summed up as this: “If you’re not at the table, you’re likely to end up on the menu.”

    The crucial China and US relationships

    And yet, despite Subianto’s broader multilateral ambitions, it is the U.S. and China that remain the critical relationships.

    During the early weeks of his presidency, Subianto made China his first overseas bilateral visit. It resulted in agreements between China and Indonesia worth up to US$10 billion, primarily focused on green energy and technology.

    The visit, which was especially notable given that Jakarta appeared to move closer to China’s position on conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea can be seen as part of a broader shift toward Beijing.

    China’s massive population already serves as a lucrative export destination for Indonesian goods. Since 2016, China has been Indonesia’s biggest export market, beating out Japan and the U.S.

    That shift is likely to pick up pace in light of Trump’s tariffs, with Jakarta seeking to offset the increasing cost of American trade. And though Jakarta has signaled neutrality regarding the wider U.S.-Chinese dispute, officials in Jakarta and Beijing agreed in mid-April to boost mutual defense cooperation in the South China Sea.

    At the same time, the U.S. holds a particularly important place in Subianto’s mind. As a young soldier, Subianto spent time at military bases in the U.S., where he underwent special forces and counterterrorism training.

    He was later subjected to a travel ban from the U.S. from 2000 to 2020 on account of myriad allegations of human rights abuses related to his time in Indonesia’s special forces unit, Kopassus, which led to his being forcibly discharged from the Indonesian military in 1998.

    Yet the ban was rescinded after then-President Joko Widodo appointed Subianto to be Indonesia’s defense minister, and he was subsequently invited to Washington in 2020 during the first Trump administration.

    Washington was Subianto’s second official presidential visit destination in November 2024. During his trip, Subianto met with President Joe Biden to discuss Indonesia-U.S. bilateral relations, regional security issues and various other global matters. Subianto also had a brief phone call with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his election victory.

    That relationship with Trump is likely to be a crucial one now, especially given the stakes of the mutual trading relationship.

    The U.S. is Indonesia’s second-biggest trading partner, after China. The value of trade between the two parties amounted to about $38.3 billion in 2024, with Indonesia exporting $28.1 billion to the U.S. while importing $10.2 billion. Seeking to avoid tariffs of 32%, an Indonesian trade delegation has been negotiating with Trump administration officials, signaling its intent to buy more American goods, make trade concessions and even lower local content requirements on Indonesian-made goods to allow more American-made components.

    Promoting pragmatism

    There are, of course, ongoing differences between Indonesia and the U.S. – not only the ongoing trade issue but also other areas, including the Israel-Hamas war. Indonesia, the largest majority Muslim country in the world, has been a staunch supporter of Palestinian rights and highly critical of Israeli policy.

    Yet even here, Subianto seemingly is open to pragmatism, with reports that the Indonesian government is floating the idea of normalizing ties with Israel in a bid to ease entry into the OECD.

    In a similar vein, one can expect that Subianto will opt for pragmatism in his dealings with Trump, prioritizing Indonesia’s security and defense cooperation with Washington, while sidestepping any issues that might divide them along the way.

    Under Subianto, Indonesia is embarking on a foreign policy that stresses the importance of maintaining robust and active bilateral ties with the U.S. At the same time, it is strengthening its China relationship. And away from both, it is asserting its own independence through bolstering its position in numerous multilateral bodies.

    How Subianto handles those various dynamics is likely to be a defining issue of his presidency.

    Gilang Kembara does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Indonesia’s ‘thousand friends, zero enemies’ approach sees President Subianto courting China and US – https://theconversation.com/indonesias-thousand-friends-zero-enemies-approach-sees-president-subianto-courting-china-and-us-252219

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI isn’t replacing student writing – but it is reshaping it

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeanne Beatrix Law, Professor of English, Kennesaw State University

    Studies have shown that many students are using AI to brainstorm, learn new information and revise their work. krisanapong detraphiphat/Moment via Getty Images

    I’m a writing professor who sees artificial intelligence as more of an opportunity for students, rather than a threat.

    That sets me apart from some of my colleagues, who fear that AI is accelerating a glut of superficial content, impeding critical thinking and hindering creative expression. They worry that students are simply using it out of sheer laziness or, worse, to cheat.

    Perhaps that’s why so many students are afraid to admit that they use ChatGPT.

    In The New Yorker magazine, historian D. Graham Burnett recounts asking his undergraduate and graduate students at Princeton whether they’d ever used ChatGPT. No one raised their hand.

    “It’s not that they’re dishonest,” he writes. “It’s that they’re paralyzed.”

    Students seem to have internalized the belief that using AI for their coursework is somehow wrong. Yet, whether my colleagues like it or not, most college students are using it.

    A February 2025 report from the Higher Education Policy Institute in the U.K. found that 92% of university students are using AI in some form. As early as August 2023 – a mere nine months after ChatGPT’s public release – more than half of first-year students at Kennesaw State University, the public research institution where I teach, reported that they believed that AI is the future of writing.

    It’s clear that students aren’t going to magically stop using AI. So I think it’s important to point out some ways in which AI can actually be a useful tool that enhances, rather than hampers, the writing process.

    Helping with the busywork

    A February 2025 OpenAI report on ChatGPT use among college-aged users found that more than one-quarter of their ChatGPT conversations were education-related.

    The report also revealed that the top five uses for students were writing-centered: starting papers and projects (49%); summarizing long texts (48%); brainstorming creative projects (45%); exploring new topics (44%); and revising writing (44%).

    These figures challenge the assumption that students use AI merely to cheat or write entire papers.

    Instead, it suggests they are leveraging AI to free up more time to engage in deeper processes and metacognitive behaviors – deliberately organizing ideas, honing arguments and refining style.

    If AI allows students to automate routine cognitive tasks – like information retrieval or ensuring that verb tenses are consistent – it doesn’t mean they’re thinking less. It means their thinking is changing.

    Of course, students can misuse AI if they use the technology passively, reflexively accepting its outputs and ideas. And overreliance on ChatGPT can erode a student’s unique voice or style.

    However, as long as students learn how to use AI intentionally, this shift can be seen as an opportunity, rather than a loss,

    Clarifying the creative vision

    It has also become clear that AI, when used responsibly, can augment human creativity.

    For example, science comedy writer Sarah Rose Siskind recently gave a talk to Harvard students about her creative process. She spoke about how she uses ChatGPT to brainstorm joke setups and explore various comedic scenarios, which allows her to focus on crafting punchlines and refining her comedic timing.

    Note how Siskin used AI in ways that didn’t supplant the human touch. Instead of replacing her creativity, AI amplified it by providing structured and consistent feedback, giving her more time to polish her jokes.

    Another example is the Rhetorical Prompting Method, which I developed alongside fellow Kennesaw State University researchers. Designed for university students and adult learners, it’s a framework for conversing with an AI chatbot, one that emphasizes the importance of agency in guiding AI outputs.

    When writers use precise language to prompt, critical thinking to reflect, and intentional revision to sculpt inputs and outputs, they direct AI to help them generate content that aligns with their vision.

    There’s still a process

    The Rhetorical Prompting Method mirrors best practices in process writing, which encourages writers to revisit, refine and revise their drafts.

    When using ChatGPT, though, it’s all about thoughtfully revisiting and revising prompts and outputs.

    For instance, say a student wants to create a compelling PSA for social media to encourage campus composting. She considers her audience. She prompts ChatGPT to draft a short, upbeat message in under 50 words that’s geared to college students.

    Reading the first output, she notices it lacks urgency. So she revises the prompt to emphasize immediate impact. She also adds some additional specifics that are important to her message, such as the location of an information session. The final PSA reads:

    “Every scrap counts! Join campus composting today at the Commons. Your leftovers aren’t trash – they’re tomorrow’s gardens. Help our university bloom brighter, one compost bin at a time.”

    The Rhetorical Prompting Method isn’t groundbreaking; it’s riffing on a process that’s been tested in the writing studies discipline for decades. But I’ve found that it works by directing writers how to intentionally prompt.

    I know this because we asked users about their experiences. In an ongoing study, my colleagues and I polled 133 people who used the Rhetorical Prompting Method for their academic and professional writing:

    • 92% reported that it helped them evaluate writing choices before and during their process.

    • 75% said that they were able to maintain their authentic voice while using AI assistance.

    • 89% responded that it helped them think critically about their writing.

    The data suggests that learners take their writing seriously. Their responses reveal that they are thinking carefully about their writing styles and strategies. While this data is preliminary, we continue to gather responses in different courses, disciplines and learning environments.

    All of this is to say that, while there are divergent points of view over when and where it’s appropriate to use AI, students are certainly using it. And being provided with a framework can help them think more deeply about their writing.

    AI, then, is not just a tool that’s useful for trivial tasks. It can be an asset for creativity. If today’s students – who are actively using AI to write, revise and explore ideas – see AI as a writing partner, I think it’s a good idea for professors to start thinking about helping them learn the best ways to work with it.

    Jeanne Beatrix Law does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. AI isn’t replacing student writing – but it is reshaping it – https://theconversation.com/ai-isnt-replacing-student-writing-but-it-is-reshaping-it-254878

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to manage financial stress in uncertain times

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeffrey Anvari-Clark, Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of North Dakota

    Having an action plan for personal finance is critical in uncertain times. Photo by Nicolas Guyonnet/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images

    American families are struggling to keep up with their bills.

    The cost of food soared by more than 23% from 2020 to 2024. Other price increases, which are especially steep for vehicles, insurance, child care and housing, come as nearly 40% more people are behind on their credit card payments than in 2022.

    Now, uncertainty arising from zigzagging tariffs, firing of tens of thousands of federal workers and contractors, and massive cuts and freezes to federally funded programs means that more people are increasingly pessimistic about the economy.

    As an assistant professor of social work, I have found through my research that differences in how people experience, behave toward and feel about their personal finances have as much of an impact as do their age and gender on certain financial decisions. And those decisions, in turn, can affect their income and wealth moving forward.

    Improving your ‘financial efficacy’

    Scholars like me use the term “financial efficacy” when we’re assessing whether someone has personal finance know-how and the ability to put it to good use. People with a high level of financial efficacy can be more able to weather bouts of financial hardship and build wealth.

    Although everyone’s situation is unique and individual resources vary, there are still five broad areas that personal finance experts say are linked to good financial outcomes: emotional regulation, problem-solving skills, an ability to achieve goals, self-confidence and risk management.

    1. Being calm and carrying on

    Remaining calm in the face of a potential – or real – financial crisis tends to make it easier to think through important decisions. In contrast, reacting out of fear often leads to mistakes or quick fixes with costly long-term consequences. For example, rushing to fix a problem could lead you to take out a pay-day loan with high interest rates and fees.

    That’s why you should avoid making big financial decisions in a hurry.

    Waiting until you feel calm, perhaps giving yourself 24 hours to think it over, can protect you from making a bad situation worse. But don’t wait too long – procrastination can lead to late fees and compound your problems.

    Keeping your emotions under control depends on having healthy coping mechanisms for stressful situations. And having healthy habits helps to manage that stress.

    Consult an expert if you’re not sure how to tackle a financial challenge.
    Photo by Jeff Gritchen/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images

    2. Problem solving with some creativity

    Solving financial problems is an exercise in improvisation. This includes finding creative ways to increase your income through a new job or side hustles and to reduce your expenses. Or look for solutions that will buy you more time, such as negotiating a repayment plan for an outstanding bill.

    This perseverance and resourcefulness often requires relying on skills you’ve used in the past. And it may help if you seek advice from people who you know have made good financial choices before.

    When in doubt about how to solve a financial problem, go see a financial counselor or social worker who can help assess your situation and identify the next steps. But be wary of the so-called finfluencers – short for financial influencers – who are active on social media. Instead, learn from the experts who focus on consumer protection and unbiased education.

    3. Setting goals and keeping track of them

    Achieving goals can be a short-term activity, like solving an immediate problem, or a longer-term process. It means keeping a clear outcome in mind and being able to tell when you’ve met a goal. More complex goals may need to be broken down into multiple milestones to stay on track.

    Whenever you’re in deep financial trouble, try to closely monitor your income and expenses. Adapt your budget according to what’s important to you. This will increase your sense of control over the situation.

    Tally up all your debt, including from credit cards, autos, student loans, medical or utility bills, and home mortgages. Figure out what you owe and to whom, and put together a plan to repay them. And if this feels overwhelming, that’s OK: A credit counseling nonprofit can help walk you through the process.

    Listing all your debt on paper or in a spreadsheet helps reduce anxiety and fear of the unknown. Having the plan helps you see a real way toward a financially stronger future. Then, take action and start paying them down.

    One possibility is to ask creditors for an extension or modified repayment schedule for a mortgage or car loan. Communicating with them up front shows them you are taking responsibility, and they will be more likely to work with you.

    Americans now owe an average of $6,455 in credit card debt. Paying in full during the grace period instead of later, with interest, can result in a substantial difference in what you owe.

    You never know when extra savings will come in handy.
    Faga Almeida/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    4. Gaining more self-confidence through practice

    It’s always easier to be confident that you can achieve something if you’ve done it before. This is how confidence builds on itself.

    But what if you’re in a new situation? It can help reflecting back on your personal history, realizing that you’ve met challenges in the past, and being reasonably assured that you can do it again. Such confidence then helps you keep calm, think through some solutions and see that you can achieve your goals.

    Improving your money management confidence and skills can reduce your anxiety and stress in the moment. It can show you those areas of your financial life that are within your control and illumine the way forward to a healthier financial future.

    5. Planning ahead reduces your risks

    Even if your finances are OK today, I would advise you to plan ahead. It’s important to identify your own informal safety nets before you need them.

    Let’s say you had to pay an unexpected $400 bill. How would you handle it?

    Would you call a friend or a relative? Have that amount saved up, ready and waiting for emergency use? Cover it with your income? According to the Federal Reserve, only 63% of Americans could cover a $400 financial shock with the cash they have on hand.

    By regularly setting aside some of the money you earn, you can simultaneously manage your risks better and develop the skills to achieve bigger goals.

    Managing your own financial risks means doing your best to prevent a bad situation from getting worse. It also means you might be able to prevent a catastrophe in the future or be able to deal with it better.

    Having insurance policies, such as life and disability, homeowners or renters, and health and auto, is part of this. But so are maintaining enough savings to cover an emergency or having multiple income streams.

    The steps you take can also include something less tangible, such as caring for your health or tending to your relationships with friends and relatives so you can call on them when times are truly tough. Or better yet, they’ll be able to call on you.

    Jeffrey Anvari-Clark does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. How to manage financial stress in uncertain times – https://theconversation.com/how-to-manage-financial-stress-in-uncertain-times-255583

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Repealing the estate tax could create headaches for the rich – as well as worsen inequality

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Reid Kress Weisbord, Distinguished Professor of Law and Judge Norma Shapiro Scholar, Rutgers University – Newark

    As it stands, only a tiny fraction of America’s wealthy are ever subjected to the estate tax. Krisanapong Detraphiphat/Getty Images

    Nothing is more certain than death and taxes, Benjamin Franklin famously declared. And, since 1916, the federal government has imposed an estate tax on the transfer of property owned at death.

    But the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers may be on the verge of changing all that. GOP legislators are now considering a massive bill that includes major tax law changes and could pass by June or July 2025. Among the measures under consideration in both the House and Senate is the Death Tax Repeal Act, which would end the federal estate tax and reduce the tax rate on lifetime gifts.

    If the Death Tax Repeal Act were to become law, it would happen at a pivotal moment. In the coming years, baby boomers are expected to leave an estimated US$84 trillion to their heirs, in what’s been called the largest wealth transfer in human history.

    As law professors who specialize in trusts and estates, we’re interested in what might happen next. Interestingly, while the long-term impact to the federal budget would be significant, repealing the estate tax would complicate estate planning for the wealthy taxpayers who might not save all that much money. To understand why, let’s consider how the estate tax works now.

    Estate planning under current law

    The estate tax – which opponents of the policy have long derided as “the death tax” – is imposed on property that is transferred at death. It is part of the federal gift and estate tax system, which imposes a 40% tax on gifts made during life or transferred at death. Supporters of the estate tax argue that it reduces inequality and encourages charitable giving.

    But most Americans, even the very rich, will never pay any gift or estate tax. That’s because millions of dollars of assets transferred after death are completely exempt from it.

    For 2025, the cumulative gift and estate tax exemption is $13.99 million for individuals and $27.98 million for married couples. The current exemption doubled under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in 2017. And it sunsets this year. Unless Congress passes new legislation, the exemption amount will go back to its 2017 base of $5 million for individuals, plus an inflation adjustment. That would increase the number of estates on which it would be levied.

    If the Death Tax Repeal Act passes, of course, then there will be no federal transfer tax imposed on estates.

    The estate tax is a lightning rod on Capitol Hill, even though it doesn’t affect many Americans. In 2022, the U.S. Treasury collected $22.5 billion in estate tax revenues from 3,170 estates. More than 3 million people died, so only 0.1% of decedents left enough assets for their estates to pay the tax.

    The big freeze: How the ultrarich reduce their tax liability

    Beyond taking advantage of this generous exemption, wealthy taxpayers currently use several planning techniques to reduce or eliminate estate taxes.

    A common strategy involves minimizing tax on assets that are likely to grow in value. Suppose, for example, a person owns property worth $25 million, and they have already used up their exemption (currently $13.99 million). If that $25 million property appreciates in value to $125 million, and the person waits until death to transfer it to the next generation, the entire investment – all $125 million – would be subject to the 40% estate tax.

    To reduce those taxes without entirely giving up control, sophisticated “estate freeze” planning techniques allow owners to keep some powers over the gifted property while transferring it for gift tax purposes before assets appreciate in value. In our example, if the $25 million asset were transferred through a freeze device such as an intentionally defective grantor trust, then the only tax would be a 40% gift tax on the $25 million. All of the appreciation – the other $100 million – would incur no gift or estate tax.

    Other estate planning techniques could further reduce the valuation for transfer tax purposes through minority interest, lack of marketability and other discounts. It’s through techniques like this that wealthy Americans are able to pass along approximately $200 billion each year in inherited assets without paying estate taxes.

    The Death Tax Repeal Act would not directly affect the tax treatment of charitable giving at death – over $40 billion – but it could alter incentives for philanthropic giving.

    Repealing the estate tax could upend existing estate plans

    If Congress repeals the estate tax but keeps the gift tax as proposed, many estate freeze planning techniques previously used by the ultrarich would become obsolete. There would be no incentive to make a lifetime gift of property that would appreciate: Individuals who hold onto their property until death would avoid both federal transfer and capital gains taxes.

    As a result, repealing the estate tax would turn existing estate plans on their head. Estate freeze strategies are premised on a calculated trade-off: To reduce or eliminate estate taxation at death, wealthy donors choose to make lifetime gifts even though doing so alters lifetime ownership rights, generates gift tax liability and sacrifices other tax benefits at death.

    Without an estate tax, existing estate freeze plans lock in the costs of lifetime gifting without any payoff at death. What’s more, some estate freeze plans can’t be changed. For example, an intentionally defective grantor trust must be irrevocable to freeze valuation for gift tax purposes.

    So while repealing the estate tax might seem appealing to wealthy Americans, the actual tax benefit could be modest at best for taxpayers who established estate plans under the current system. Financial advisers have also expressed concern about creating new estate plans designed to benefit from estate tax repeal because a future Congress could revive the tax.

    Repealing the estate tax could also have macroeconomic implications. Tax incentives to retain ownership until death could tie up capital in ways that dampen economic growth. Individuals tend to become increasingly risk-averse with age, so the Death Tax Repeal Act could skew investments toward safer asset classes. That could deprive younger generations of access to capital for new ventures, such as startups.

    The bottom line is that repealing the estate tax may hurt both taxpayers and the government. People with sufficient wealth to exhaust the high exemption are likely to have established estate plans that can’t be changed to benefit from estate tax repeal. Meanwhile, for new estate plans that seek to retain property ownership until death, the government will lose an important source of tax revenue – $22.5 billion in 2022 – collected from a tiny number of very wealthy estates that can afford to pay the tax.

    And, of course, repeal would also abandon the original purpose of the estate tax, which sought to reduce extreme concentrations of wealth.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Repealing the estate tax could create headaches for the rich – as well as worsen inequality – https://theconversation.com/repealing-the-estate-tax-could-create-headaches-for-the-rich-as-well-as-worsen-inequality-254871

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Measles could again become widespread as cases surge worldwide

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rebecca Schein, Assistant Professor of Infectious Disease Pediatrics, Michigan State University

    Measles is one of the most infectious diseases on the planet. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

    Globally, measles is on the rise across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America and parts of Europe. In 2025, North and South America saw 11 times more cases than during the same period last year. In Europe, measles rates are at their highest point in 25 years.

    In the U.S., as of May 2, 2025, health authorities have confirmed 935 cases of measles affecting 30 states. This is a huge surge compared with the 285 cases reported in 2024. A large measles outbreak is happening in Canada, too, with over 1,000 cases.

    The Conversation asked Rebecca Schein, a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases, to explain what this spike at home and abroad might mean for a disease that was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000.

    How do measles cases this year compare with previous years?

    From 2000 to 2010, less than 100 measles cases were reported each year in the U.S. Since 2010, there have been isolated outbreaks, mainly in unvaccinated communities, with approximately 200 to 300 cases a year. The latest major outbreak in the U.S. was in 2019, with 1,274 cases, primarily in the New York City metropolitan area and parts of New Jersey.

    Cases fell in 2020 to 2023 during the COVID-19 pandemic, returning to prepandemic levels in 2024. Currently, most U.S. cases are coming from an epidemic in Texas, with 702 confirmed cases as of May 6. Of these, 91 people were hospitalized and three people, two of them children, died. Measles cases are still being reported. Texas is one of 12 measles outbreaks documented in the U.S. in 2025 to date.

    The World Health Organization has declared both North and South America to be at high risk for measles. Canada reported a total of 1,177 cases as of April 19, with 951 of them linked to an outbreak that began in New Brunswick in October 2024 and spread to seven provinces. In 2023, there were 12 measles cases in all of Canada.

    Mexico reported 421 confirmed measles cases as of April 18, and another 384 cases are under investigation. There are also small measles outbreaks in South America, with Belize reporting its first two cases since 1991. Brazil reported five cases, and in Argentina there are 21 confirmed cases of measles, mainly in the capital city of Buenos Aires.

    U.S. exports these days include measles.

    In Europe, measles cases rose tenfold, hitting 35,212 in 2024, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

    How did the US eliminate measles?

    Measles is one of the most contagious infections ever identified. One person with measles can spread the infection to 12 to 18 others. That number, which epidemiologists call R0, is 1 to 4 for the flu and 2 to 5 for COVID-19.

    In 1912, measles became a nationally reportable disease tracked by all the health departments in the U.S. At that time, there were about 3 million to 4 million cases and 6,000 deaths each year in the country. Medical care improved and the death rate decreased, but cases spiked to epidemic levels every two to three years.

    It was not until 1963, when the first measles vaccine became widely available, that cases dropped dramatically. The current measles vaccine, which is called the MMR vaccine because it also includes vaccines against mumps and rubella, was released in 1971. In 1977, the U.S. government launched the National Childhood Immunization Initiative to ensure that school children received vaccination against polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, mumps, rubella and measles. Vaccination rates in children starting elementary school rose to 96% by 1981. Beginning in 1993, the Vaccines for Children program helped ensure that every child could receive vaccinations regardless of ability to pay.

    Vaccination programs were a resounding success. By 2000, measles cases arising in the U.S. had fallen to zero, with infections occurring only in people who traveled abroad. That year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared that measles was eliminated in the country.

    Why are rising measles rates so worrisome?

    Measles is a virus, like the common cold. Unlike bacterial infections, which can be treated with antibiotics, viral infections are typically not treatable but can often be prevented through vaccination programs.

    Vaccination stimulates the body’s immune system to make antibodies to fight a specific infection. For most people, just one dose of the measles vaccine protects them from infection. The second dose helps ensure long-term protection. Measles is so infectious that 95% of the population must be vaccinated to protect the community, a concept called herd immunity.

    A man holds a sign at a rally for science in St. Paul, Minn., on March 7, 2025.
    Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    During the past 20 years, however, vaccination rates are decreasing globally, with an especially sharp drop during the pandemic from limited exposure to medical care. Aligned with this trend, measles cases in the U.S. have been rising. As a result, some infectious disease experts worry that measles is heading toward becoming a common infection again.

    What happens if measles rates continue to rise?

    Public health officials define endemic infections as being consistently present within a region. For example, the common cold and now COVID-19 are endemic in the U.S.

    A higher-than-normal number of cases in an area is termed an outbreak. For measles, an outbreak is defined as more than three cases in a county or local area. When cases from an outbreak spread outside the local area, that is an epidemic, and if an epidemic spreads into many countries across the world, it becomes a pandemic.

    The measles outbreak in Texas started in January 2025 as an outbreak in six counties and quickly reached epidemic levels, hitting a total of 29 counties and a count of 702 cases as of May 6.

    A 2022 study used a computer algorithm to model the trajectory of measles cases in the U.S. given the drop in vaccination rates during the pandemic. If children who missed vaccines due to the pandemic do not receive catch-up vaccinations, and vaccine hesitancy continues at current rates, the study found, then 21% of U.S. children – about 15 million – will be vulnerable to measles over the following five years. That is well below the number needed to prevent measles outbreaks.

    A study using a similar approach published in April 2025 found that measles is likely to become endemic again in the U.S. and predicted that the country could experience 850,000 cases over the next 25 years if vaccination rates remain the same. If vaccine rates decrease further, the study found, case numbers could increase to 11 million over the next 25 years.

    What would it take to reverse the rise in measles?

    Reversing this trend will require steadily increasing community vaccination rates. The April 2025 study found that boosting community vaccination rates by 5% would tamp down the increase in cases to between 3,000 and 19,000 over the next 25 years.

    Another epidemiological model that estimates measles spread, published in February, predicted that by intervening early in an outbreak with local health department support, measles outbreaks can be contained as long as 85% of the population is vaccinated against the disease.

    That, of course, requires ensured ongoing access to free and accessible childhood vaccinations and restoration of the public’s trust in measles vaccines.

    Rebecca Schein does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Measles could again become widespread as cases surge worldwide – https://theconversation.com/measles-could-again-become-widespread-as-cases-surge-worldwide-255501

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Contaminated milk from one plant in Illinois sickened thousands with ‘Salmonella’ in 1985 − as outbreaks rise in the US, lessons from this one remain true

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael Petros, Clinical Assistant Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago

    A valve that mixed raw milk with pasteurized milk at Hillfarm Dairy may have been the source of contamination. This was the milk processing area of the plant. AP Photo/Mark Elias

    In 1985, contaminated milk in Illinois led to a Salmonella outbreak that infected hundreds of thousands of people across the United States and caused at least 12 deaths. At the time, it was the largest single outbreak of foodborne illness in the U.S. and remains the worst outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning in American history.

    Many questions circulated during the outbreak. How could this contamination occur in a modern dairy farm? Was it caused by a flaw in engineering or processing, or was this the result of deliberate sabotage? What roles, if any, did politics and failed leadership play?

    From my 50 years of working in public health, I’ve found that reflecting on the past can help researchers and officials prepare for future challenges. Revisiting this investigation and its outcome provides lessons on how food safety inspections go hand in hand with consumer protection and public health, especially as hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illnesses rise.

    Contamination, investigation and intrigue

    The Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention led the investigation into the outbreak. The public health laboratories of the city of Chicago and state of Illinois were also closely involved in testing milk samples.

    Investigators and epidemiologists from local, state and federal public health agencies found that specific lots of milk with expiration dates up to April 17, 1985, were contaminated with Salmonella. The outbreak may have been caused by a valve at a processing plant that allowed pasteurized milk to mix with raw milk, which can carry several harmful microorganisms, including Salmonella.

    Overall, labs and hospitals in Illinois and five other Midwest states – Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin – reported over 16,100 cases of suspected Salmonella poisoning to health officials.

    To make dairy products, skimmed milk is usually separated from cream, then blended back together in different levels to achieve the desired fat content. While most dairies pasteurize their products after blending, Hillfarm Dairy in Melrose Park, Illinois, pasteurized the milk first before blending it into various products such as skim milk and 2% milk.

    Subsequent examination of the production process suggested that Salmonella may have grown in the threads of a screw-on cap used to seal an end of a mixing pipe. Investigators also found this strain of Salmonella 10 months earlier in a much smaller outbreak in the Chicago area.

    Salmonella is a common cause of food poisoning.
    Volker Brinkmann/Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology via PLoS One, CC BY-SA

    Finding the source

    The contaminated milk was produced at Hillfarm Dairy in Melrose Park, which was operated at the time by Jewel Companies Inc. During an April 3 inspection of the company’s plant, the Food and Drug Administration found 13 health and safety violations.

    The legal fallout of the outbreak expanded when the Illinois attorney general filed suit against Jewel Companies Inc., alleging that employees at as many as 18 stores in the grocery chain violated water pollution laws when they dumped potentially contaminated milk into storm sewers. Later, a Cook County judge found Jewel Companies Inc. in violation of the court order to preserve milk products suspected of contamination and maintain a record of what happened to milk returned to the Hillfarm Dairy.

    Political fallout also ensued. The Illinois governor at the time, James Thompson, fired the director of the Illinois Public Health Department when it was discovered that he was vacationing in Mexico at the onset of the outbreak and failed to return to Illinois. Notably, the health director at the time of the outbreak was not a health professional. Following this episode, the governor appointed public health professional and medical doctor Bernard Turnock as director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

    In 1987, after a nine-month trial, a jury determined that Jewel officials did not act recklessly when Salmonella-tainted milk caused one of the largest food poisoning outbreaks in U.S. history. No punitive damages were awarded to victims, and the Illinois Appellate Court later upheld the jury’s decision.

    Raw milk is linked to many foodborne illnesses.

    Lessons learned

    History teaches more than facts, figures and incidents. It provides an opportunity to reflect on how to learn from past mistakes in order to adapt to future challenges. The largest Salmonella outbreak in the U.S. to date provides several lessons.

    For one, disease surveillance is indispensable to preventing outbreaks, both then and now. People remain vulnerable to ubiquitous microorganisms such as Salmonella and E. coli, and early detection of an outbreak could stop it from spreading and getting worse.

    Additionally, food production facilities can maintain a safe food supply with careful design and monitoring. Revisiting consumer protections can help regulators keep pace with new threats from new or unfamiliar pathogens.

    Finally, there is no substitute for professional public health leadership with the competence and expertise to respond effectively to an emergency.

    Michael Petros does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Contaminated milk from one plant in Illinois sickened thousands with ‘Salmonella’ in 1985 − as outbreaks rise in the US, lessons from this one remain true – https://theconversation.com/contaminated-milk-from-one-plant-in-illinois-sickened-thousands-with-salmonella-in-1985-as-outbreaks-rise-in-the-us-lessons-from-this-one-remain-true-254036

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Spacecraft can ‘brake’ in space using drag − advancing craft agility, space safety and planetary missions

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Piyush Mehta, Associate Professor of Space Systems, West Virginia University

    Planetary space probes such as Mars Odyssey use a technique called aerobraking to save fuel. NASA/JPL

    When you put your hand out the window of a moving car, you feel a force pushing against you called drag. This force opposes a moving vehicle, and it’s part of the reason why your car naturally slows to a stop if you take your foot off the gas pedal. But drag doesn’t just slow down cars.

    Aerospace engineers are working on using the drag force in space to develop more fuel-efficient spacecraft and missions, deorbit spacecraft without creating as much space junk, and even place probes in orbit around other planets.

    Space is not a complete vacuum − at least not all of it. Earth’s atmosphere gets thinner with altitude, but it has enough air to impart a force of drag on orbiting spacecraft, even up to about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers).

    As an aerospace engineering professor, I study how drag affects the movement of spacecraft in orbit. Aerobraking, as the name suggests, is a type of maneuver that uses the thin air in space to apply a drag force in the direction opposite to a spacecraft’s motion, much like braking in a car.

    Changing an orbit

    In space, aerobraking can change the orbit of a spacecraft while minimizing the use of its propulsion system and fuel.

    Spacecraft that orbit around Earth do so in two types of orbits: circular and elliptical. In a circular orbit, the spacecraft is always at the same distance from the center of the Earth. As a result, it’s always moving at the same speed. An elliptical orbit is stretched, so the distance from Earth − and the speed the craft moves at − changes as the spacecraft travels along the orbit.

    The closest point in an elliptical orbit around Earth, where the satellite or spacecraft is moving fastest, is called the perigee. The farthest point, where it’s moving slowest, is called the apogee.

    The apogee is the point farthest from Earth in an elliptical orbit, while the perigee is the point closest to Earth.
    Iketsi/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    The general idea behind aerobraking is to start in a large circular orbit and maneuver the spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit, so that the lowest point in the orbit − the perigree − lies in the denser part of the upper atmosphere. For Earth, that’s between about 62 and 310 miles (100 and 500 kilometers), with the choice depending on time required to complete the orbit change.

    As the spacecraft passes through this lowest point, the air exerts a drag force on it, which reduces the stretch of the orbit over time. This force pulls the craft toward a circular orbit smaller than the original orbit.

    Aerobraking brings a spacecraft from a large, circular orbit into a highly elliptical orbit, into a smaller, more circular one.
    Moneya/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    The first maneuver to put the spacecraft in an elliptical orbit so that drag can take effect does require using a propulsion system and some fuel. But once it’s in the elliptical orbit, drag from the atmosphere slows the craft, and it doesn’t need to use much, if any, fuel.

    Aerobraking brings a craft from a large orbit to a small orbit and is not reversible − it can’t increase the size of an orbit. Increasing the size of an orbit or raising the spacecraft to a higher orbit requires propulsion and fuel.

    Aerobraking uses

    A common case where spacecraft controllers use aerobraking is when changing the craft’s orbit from a geostationary orbit − GEO − to a low Earth orbit, LEO. A GEO orbit is a circular orbit with an altitude of roughly 22,236 miles (35,786 km). In GEO, the spacecraft makes one orbit around Earth in 24 hours, so the spacecraft always stays above the same point on Earth’s surface.

    In GEO orbit, a spacecraft orbits with Earth and stays above the same point on the surface the whole time.
    MikeRun/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Before aerobraking, the spacecraft’s onboard propulsion system thrusts in the opposite direction of the GEO orbit’s motion. This thrust puts it into an elliptical orbit. The craft passes through the atmosphere multiple times, which eventually circularizes the orbit.

    Once it makes it to LEO, the spacecraft may need to use a little bit of fuel to propel itself up into its target orbit. Usually, the lowest point of the original elliptical orbit is lower than the final target circular orbit.

    This process is conceptually similar to how the U.S. Space Force’s X-37B used aerobraking in early 2025.

    The U.S. Space Force reported that its unmanned spaceplane, X-37B, used aerobraking. This test demonstrated the craft’s agility and maneuverability.

    Another application for aerobraking is to make a spacecraft deorbit − or reenter the atmosphere − after it has stopped working. This way, the company or agency can dispose of the spacecraft and avoid creating space junk, since it will burn up in the lower atmosphere.

    NASA’s Mars reconnaissance orbiter used aerobraking to orbit around Mars.
    NASA/JPL

    Aerobraking for interplanetary missions

    A few Mars missions, including the Mars reconnaissance orbiter and the Mars Odyssey orbiter, have used aerobraking to reach their target orbits around the red planet.

    For interplanetary missions like these, scientists use aerobraking in conjunction with the craft’s onboard propulsion system. When a spacecraft arrives at Mars, it does so in a hyperbolic orbit.

    While an elliptical orbit is closed, a hyperbolic orbit doesn’t go all the way around a planet.
    Maxmath12/Wikimedia Commons

    Unlike a circular or an elliptical orbit, the spacecraft’s path in hyperbolic orbit won’t keep it orbiting around Mars. Instead, it would fly through and depart Mars − unless it uses thrust from its propulsion system to get “captured” into a closed elliptical orbit.

    As the spacecraft arrives at Mars, the onboard propulsion system fires to provide the force necessary to capture the spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit around Mars. Once captured, scientists use aerobraking over several orbital passes through the atmosphere to achieve the final orbit, generally a circular one.

    Aerobraking maneuvers can result in significant fuel savings. As humans get closer to landing on the surface of the red planet, the fuel savings enabled by aerobraking could save mass and allow each spacecraft headed to Mars to take more supplies.

    In the grand arc of space exploration, aerobraking is not just a maneuver. It has a crucial role to play in the future of space operations and planetary missions and colonization.

    Piyush Mehta receives funding from multiple federal agencies – NASA, NSF, NOAA, IARPA, and DoD.

    ref. Spacecraft can ‘brake’ in space using drag − advancing craft agility, space safety and planetary missions – https://theconversation.com/spacecraft-can-brake-in-space-using-drag-advancing-craft-agility-space-safety-and-planetary-missions-254038

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Was it a stone tool or just a rock? An archaeologist explains how scientists can tell the difference

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By John K. Murray, Ph.D. Candidate in Anthropology, Arizona State University

    Stone tools are deliberately made by the hands of hominins, like these worked on by the author. John K. Murray

    Have you ever found yourself in a museum’s gallery of human origins, staring at a glass case full of rocks labeled “stone tools,” muttering under your breath, “How do they know it’s not just any old rock?”

    At first glance, it might seem impossible to decipher. But as an experimental archaeologist with over a decade of experience studying and manufacturing stone tools, I can say that there are telltale signs that a rock has been modified by humans or our very ancient ancestors, hominins.

    This process, known as flintknapping, can be boiled down to mastering force, angles and rock structure. When done properly, flintknapping creates the recognizable features that archaeologists use to identify stone tools.

    A demonstration of traditional flintknapping techniques.

    Why do stone tools matter?

    John Murray demonstrates his flintknapping skills for the Glendale Community College Anthropology Club.
    John K. Murray

    Stone tools are rocks that have been selected for use or intentionally altered. This technology appeared around 3.3 million years ago and became essential to hominins – all the living and extinct species that belong to the human lineage. Currently, we Homo sapiens are the only living hominin.

    We are not the only living species to make and use stone tools, though – many other primates do – but the extent to which hominins modify them is unparalleled in the animal kingdom. Monkeys and other apes may hold a large stone in their hands to crack a nut on a flat, tablelike stone.

    But most hominins don’t rely on stones collected as-is. They modify and shape them into useful tools for a variety of tasks, including cutting meat or plants, woodworking, scraping hide and even as projectiles.

    Stone tools are important to archaeologists because they are durable and preserve well. This makes them some of the best evidence for hominin behavior and allows us to better understand how different populations adapted to local environments across time and large geographic regions.

    How are stone tools made?

    Hominins manufacture stone tools by fracturing or abrading rock. Here, I am going to focus on fractured or flaked stone technology because tools made through this technique dominate the archaeological record.

    The process of flaking involves applying force to the edge of a stone, known as the striking platform, through percussion or pressure to remove portions of the rock, which are called flakes. With some guidance from a teacher and plenty of practice, flintknappers can learn how to identify a promising platform on a chunk of stone, called a core, and consistently remove flakes from it. When struck, the platform is removed from the core and is a key feature of the flake.

    Flakes offer an immediate sharp cutting edge. A flintknapper can also further modify them into more specific shapes for other uses. An iconic example of this is the hand ax, which is a core that’s been flaked into a teardrop shape.

    Cores, left, are the object being struck by the flintknapper, and flakes, right, are the sharp-edged material removed from the core. Some cores, like this one from the archaeological site Pinnacle Point 5-6 in South Africa, can be as small as the tip of a finger.
    John K. Murray

    We often use hammerstones or large pieces of antler, called billets, to strike the core’s edge. Repetitive flaking not only allows a flintknapper to produce a significant amount of sharp cutting edge in the form of flakes, but gives them the ability to shape the core to their desired form … often with the risk of personal injury along the way. My fingers can attest to this!

    A modern flintknapper’s toolkit consists of leather pads, gloves, safety glasses, antler billets (left), hard hammerstones (right), and abraders (center-right with grooves), used to rub the edge of the stone to strengthen the platform before striking.
    John K. Murray

    However, not every type of rock has the characteristics needed to be flaked into a tool. You want the stone to exhibit what’s called conchoidal fracture. If you’ve ever seen glass break, you’ve witnessed conchoidal fracture. This smooth break, with concentric wavelike ripples, is defined by the physics of how force moves through different materials.

    Obsidian hand ax made by John Murray, showcasing examples of conchoidal fracture produced while making flakes to shape it.
    John K. Murray

    When an experienced knapper is preparing to remove a flake, we understand how the material we’re working will break when we strike it, so we can predict the shape and size of the tools that we are producing. A stone like obsidian, which is volcanic glass, is the poster child for conchoidal fracture.

    Of course, there is a lot of variation in the quality of rock that hominins have used for manufacturing stone tools, and many have made use of lesser quality stone. Even some of the earliest toolmakers were preferentially selecting rocks for certain properties, such as durability.

    How can you recognize stone tools?

    You may hear people saying that rocks that they found in their garden were tools because they “fit perfectly in the hand” or are “tool shaped.” But it’s not quite that straightforward. Although shape and function may play a role in the final product of a stone tool, it is not the smoking gun.

    Archaeologists can determine whether a chunk of rock is a stone tool based on clues left behind from the process of conchoidal fracture during flintknapping.

    One such clue is the presence of flake scars, or what we call negative removals, which can be found on both cores and flakes. These have characteristic ridges on one or more sides of the rock that outline previous flake removals – hence the use of the term scar.

    When we see multiple flake scars that are consistent in their orientation and size as opposed to being random, it is likely the stone in question was deliberately worked on by a hominin.

    The second feature is what we call the bulb of percussion. This is a bulge in the flake, just below the striking platform, that results from the concentration of force when the knapper struck it.

    Considering that producing a bulb of percussion requires the rock to be struck on a platform at a specific angle with enough force to detach it from the stone, it is improbable that this feature would be created through natural processes – but not impossible. Scientists have found naturally produced sharp stone fragments, or naturaliths, all over the world, even in Antarctica.

    However, when a lot of flakes with these diagnostic characteristics are found together, it’s unlikely they were created naturally.

    A hand ax made by John Murray shows many flake scars, some of which are outlined in black. The inner surface of three flakes shows the bulb of percussion just below the platform.
    John K. Murray

    The final thing to consider when determining whether a rock is a stone tool is the context in which it was found. Are there many stones in the area that exhibit the characteristics that we look for when trying to identify a stone tool? Is the stone tool made of an exotic material, or is it like the rest of the rocks near it?

    If you find a lot of stone tools in the same area made from one type of rock, you might have stumbled across an ancient flintknapping workshop. However, if you discover a tool that was made from a type of stone that can only be found hundreds of miles away, maybe someone traded for this material or carried it with them.

    Try it for yourself

    I think the best way for you to be able to learn to recognize whether a chunk of stone was a tool or just a rock is to try flintknapping yourself. I have taught more than 100 people of all ages to manufacture stone tools, and most agree: It is harder than you’d think.

    This experience puts you into the minds of our hominin ancestors, trying to tackle one of the earliest problems our lineage faced: getting a sharp edge from a chunky piece of rock.

    John K. Murray does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Was it a stone tool or just a rock? An archaeologist explains how scientists can tell the difference – https://theconversation.com/was-it-a-stone-tool-or-just-a-rock-an-archaeologist-explains-how-scientists-can-tell-the-difference-251126

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI: Arax Recognizes Partner Firms Named on USA Today’s List of Best Financial Advisory Firms 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arax Investment Partners (“Arax”), a premier wealth and asset management platform company backed by RedBird Capital Partners (“RedBird”), today celebrates the inclusion of partner firms Ashton Thomas Private Wealth (“Ashton Thomas” or “ATPW”), U.S. Capital Wealth (“USCW”) and SRS Capital Advisors (n.k.a. “Arax Advisory Partners”) on USA Today’s list of Best Financial Advisory Firms 2025.

    Key highlights include:

    • Ashton Thomas Private Wealth was named one of the Top 10 Best Financial Advisory Firms in the United States and ranked second nationally in its assets under management (“AUM”) subcategory.
    • U.S. Capital Wealth was ranked one of the top three RIAs in Texas in its AUM subcategory.
    • SRS Capital Advisors was ranked one of the top two RIAs in Colorado.
    • Platform-wide, all Arax firms ranked in the top 20% of the 500 named on the list, selected from a pool of over 17,000 firms evaluated nationally.

    “We’re pleased to recognize the accomplishments of our partner firms over the past year as we advance our boutique strategy,” said Haig Ariyan, Chief Executive Officer of Arax Investment Partners. “We are joining forces with the best in wealth management to pursue expansive growth across our platform, and the industry is taking notice. I am very proud of our teams and look forward to continuing our work together.”

    This year’s accolades follow a period of significant growth for Arax, driven by the firm’s differentiated approach to capitalizing on opportunities within the fragmented investment advisory space. By partnering with leading independent wealth management providers and financial advisory teams, Arax delivers the resources necessary to scale business development, pursue complementary investment opportunities, and elevate the client experience. Today, Arax has established a nationwide presence, with a platform that supports more than $26 billion in AUM/A.

    USA Today awards spots on the list to the top performing registered investment advisory firms in the United States. The ranking is based on recommendations from financial advisors, clients and industry experts, and each firm’s development of assets under management (“AUM”). In partnership with Statista, recommendations were collected through an independent survey of over 30,000 individuals, and short-term (12 month) and long-term (five years) AUM development were analyzed using publicly available data. This year, USA Today and Statista included asset-based subgroupings to allow for comparison of firms of similar sizes.

    About Arax Investment Partners
    Arax Investment Partners is a rapidly growing boutique wealth management platform making strategic control investments in leading RIAs and elite advisor teams. Founded and led by CEO Haig Ariyan — a seasoned industry executive with a distinguished track record of building and scaling wealth management businesses — Arax empowers its partners to be entrepreneurial and focus on delivering exceptional client service. Firms benefit from a management team with deep M&A expertise, capital sourcing capabilities, and the backing of RedBird Capital Partners. For more information, visit www.araxpartners.com.

    About Ashton Thomas Private Wealth
    Ashton Thomas is a diversified financial services firm committed to a culture of excellence, integrity, and respect in every aspect of its business. Through its various entities listed below, Ashton Thomas serves foundations, businesses, and affluent individuals and families by providing a range of services which include fee-based financial planning and investment portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, securities brokerage, life and health insurance, and income tax preparation. The firm also strives to remain at the forefront of technological innovation and thought leadership within the financial services industry.

    Ashton Thomas Private Wealth, LLC, (“ATPW”), founded in 2010, and Ashton Thomas Advisors, LLC (“ATA”), founded in 2024, are SEC-registered investment advisers which provide fee-based financial planning, portfolio management, pension consulting, and fund manager selection services. Ashton Thomas Securities, LLC, (“ATS”) is a dually registered entity. ATS registered with FINRA as a broker-dealer in 1984 and provides securities brokerage services. ATS became an SEC-registered investment adviser in 2008 and provides fee-based financial planning, portfolio management, pension consulting, and fund manager selection services. Ashton Thomas Insurance Agency, LLC, (“ATIA”) provides life and health insurance brokerage services. ATIA also provides income tax services through its DBA, Ashton Thomas Tax Advisory. Representatives of the entities listed may only conduct business for which they are licensed, if required, and with residents of the states and jurisdictions in which they are properly registered and/or licensed.

    About U.S. Capital Wealth, LLC
    Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with a strategic Texas presence across Austin, Dallas, and Georgetown, as well as offices in New York City, Massachusetts, and Florida, U.S. Capital Wealth LLC (“USCW”) is a premier independent, full-platform Registered Investment Advisor dedicated to delivering institutional-quality financial solutions with the personalized service of a boutique firm.

    Founded in 2010, USCW was created to empower clients with access to a comprehensive wealth management experience. As a full-platform RIA, USCW offers the best of both worlds — integrating brokerage and advisory capabilities to deliver flexible solutions tailored to each client’s needs. Clients benefit from the capabilities of a large financial institution, while maintaining the personalized, high-touch approach of a boutique advisory firm.

    USCW’s team of seasoned financial professionals brings decades of institutional experience to help clients navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.

    USCW serves distinguished clientele, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families, business owners, specialized industry professionals, institutions, and municipalities. Comprehensive offerings span investment management, risk mitigation, lending solutions, and fully integrated family office services — all tailored to each client’s unique goals. To learn more, please visit: https://uscwealth.com.

    About Arax Advisory Partners
    Formerly known as SRS Capital Advisors, Inc., Arax Advisory Partners is a privately owned, independent Registered Investment Advisor specializing in customized investment platforms and highly sophisticated wealth planning solutions for high-net-worth families and individuals, businesses, and foundations. Founded in 2004, Arax Advisory Partners’ unique integrated and comprehensive approach provides the highest possible level of client service to establish lasting partnerships with all their clients while combining comprehensive asset management with leading edge financial planning services. Arax Advisory Partners is headquartered in Denver, CO with offices in Pittsburgh, PA and Philadelphia, PA.

    About RedBird Capital Partners
    RedBird Capital Partners is a private investment firm that builds high-growth companies with strategic capital solutions to founders and entrepreneurs. The firm currently manages $12 billion in assets on behalf of a global group of blue chip institutional and family office investors. Founded in 2014 by Gerry Cardinale, RedBird integrates sophisticated private equity investing with a hands-on business building mandate that focuses on three core industry verticals – Financial Services, Sports and Media & Entertainment. Over his 30-year investment career, Cardinale has partnered with founders and entrepreneurs to build some of the most iconic growth companies in their respective industries. For more information, please go to www.redbirdcap.com.

    Media Contact:

    Dan Gagnier
    Gagnier Communications
    RedBird@gagnierfc.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Ashton Thomas Private Wealth Ranked #7 on USA Today’s List of Best Financial Advisory Firms 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ashton Thomas Private Wealth (“Ashton Thomas” or “the Company”), an Arax Investment Partners firm, is pleased to announce that it was ranked #7 out of 500 firms on USA Today’s list of Best Financial Advisory Firms 2025. In addition to making the Top 10, Ashton Thomas also ranked second nationally in its assets under management (“AUM”) subcategory.

    USA Today’s ranking of Best Financial Advisory Firms recognizes the top performing registered investment advisory companies in the United States based on recommendations from clients and peers, and an analysis of each firm’s development of AUM. Ashton Thomas has made the list every year since the ranking was launched in 2023.

    This year’s recognition caps off a period of robust growth for Ashton Thomas, which continues to develop its wealth management business supported by the Arax platform. Since joining Arax in 2023, Ashton Thomas has developed its footprint and operations across the U.S., welcoming elite advisor teams based in New York, NY, Boston, MA, Aspen, CO and San Francisco, CA, and establishing a new San Francisco office to support the firm’s growing presence in the Western market. Ashton Thomas expanded its services and offerings with the acquisition of a full-service broker-dealer to provide advisors and clients with access to cutting edge technology, additional compliance infrastructure and access to world class management.

    “We are thrilled to have been honored as one of the best of the best in the wealth management industry,” said Aaron Brodt, CEO of Ashton Thomas. “Our Top 10 ranking is a credit to the work we have done expanding our business to meet the needs of institutions, families and individuals across the country, as well as the top-tier client service provided by our advisors on a daily basis. I commend the full Ashton Thomas team for their contributions to this achievement.”

    “This recognition validates our strategy of partnering with forward-thinking advisory teams and providing the support they need to scale their practices,” added Haig Ariyan, Chief Executive Officer of Arax Investment Partners. “Access to the synergies, management expertise and growth opportunities afforded by our platform allows our Ashton Thomas advisor teams to capitalize on their established reputations and reach more clients with a wide range of services. I look forward to continuing to build on our momentum.”

    About Ashton Thomas Private Wealth
    Ashton Thomas is a diversified financial services firm committed to a culture of excellence, integrity, and respect in every aspect of its business. Through its various entities listed below, Ashton Thomas serves foundations, businesses, and affluent individuals and families by providing a range of services which include fee-based financial planning and investment portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, securities brokerage, life and health insurance, and income tax preparation. The firm also strives to remain at the forefront of technological innovation and thought leadership within the financial services industry.

    Ashton Thomas Private Wealth, LLC, (“ATPW”), founded in 2010, and Ashton Thomas Advisors, LLC (“ATA”), founded in 2024, are SEC-registered investment advisers which provide fee-based financial planning, portfolio management, pension consulting, and fund manager selection services. Ashton Thomas Securities, LLC, (“ATS”) is a dually registered entity. ATS registered with FINRA as a broker-dealer in 1984 and provides securities brokerage services. ATS became an SEC-registered investment adviser in 2008 and provides fee-based financial planning, portfolio management, pension consulting, and fund manager selection services. Ashton Thomas Insurance Agency, LLC, (“ATIA”) provides life and health insurance brokerage services. ATIA also provides income tax services through its DBA, Ashton Thomas Tax Advisory. Representatives of the entities listed may only conduct business for which they are licensed, if required, and with residents of the states and jurisdictions in which they are properly registered and/or licensed.

    About Arax Investment Partners
    Arax Investment Partners is a rapidly growing boutique wealth management platform making strategic control investments in leading RIAs and elite advisor teams. Founded and led by CEO Haig Ariyan — a seasoned industry executive with a distinguished track record of building and scaling wealth management businesses — Arax empowers its partners to be entrepreneurial and focus on delivering exceptional client service. Firms benefit from a management team with deep M&A expertise, capital sourcing capabilities, and the backing of RedBird Capital Partners. For more information, visit www.araxpartners.com.

    Media Contact:

    Dan Gagnier
    Gagnier Communications
    RedBird@gagnierfc.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Intermex Reports First-Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company to Host Conference Call Today at 9 a.m. ET

    MIAMI, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — International Money Express, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMXI) (“Intermex” or the “Company”), one of the nation’s leading global omnichannel money transfer services to Latin America and the Caribbean, today reported financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2025.

    Financial performance highlights for the first quarter of 2025:

    • Revenues of $144.3 million
    • Net income of $7.8 million
    • Diluted EPS of $0.25
    • Adjusted Diluted EPS of $0.35
    • Adjusted EBITDA of $21.6 million

    Bob Lisy, Chairman, President, and CEO of Intermex, stated “Intermex’s first quarter results reflect the strength and discipline of the Intermex business model, despite an economic and political backdrop that was difficult to anticipate. Year-over-year volume growth reflects our highly resilient consumer base and our ability to serve them effectively through our omnichannel strategy.”

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Results (all comparisons are to the First Quarter 2024)
    Year over year volumes grew at 3.7%, however total revenues for the Company were down 4.1% to $144.3 million. This was driven by a shift in retail consumer sending behavior as consumers sent fewer transactions, but in larger amounts transferred per transaction in the quarter. The reduction in service fees from lower transactions was partially offset by an increase in revenue primarily related to growth in digital channels. The Company’s user base generated 12.8 million money transfer transactions, down 5.2% from last year. The total principal amount transferred for the period was $5.6 billion, an increase of 3.7%.

    The Company reported net income of $7.8 million, a decrease of 35.5%. Diluted earnings per share were $0.25, a decrease of 28.6%. The decreases in net income and diluted earnings per share were driven primarily by the items noted above for revenues, partly offset by lower services charges from agents and banks. It is worth noting that while revenue was down from lower transactions, the higher year over year volume offset much of the interest and banking expense reductions that would otherwise typically be captured with a lower number of transactions. Lower income tax provision also positively impacted net income. Diluted earnings per share was positively impacted by the reduction in share count from the Company’s stock repurchase activity.

    Adjusted net income totaled $10.9 million, a decrease of 25.9%. Adjusted diluted earnings per share totaled $0.35, a decrease of 18.6%. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share were impacted by the items noted above, adjusted for certain items detailed in the reconciliation tables below following the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. Adjusted diluted earnings per share was positively impacted by the reduction in share count from the Company’s stock repurchases.

    Adjusted EBITDA decreased 15.0% to $21.6 million, attributable to the same items noted above, partially offset by the higher net effect of the adjusting items detailed in the reconciliation tables below following the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

    Adjusted and other non-GAAP measures discussed above and elsewhere in this press release are defined below under the heading, Non-GAAP Measures.

    Other Items
    The Company ended the first quarter of 2025 with $151.8 million in cash and cash equivalents. Net Free Cash Generated for the first quarter of 2025 was $10.3 million, up from the first quarter of 2024. Year-over-year Net Free Cash Generated primarily reflects the investments in assets placed into service as a result of the Company’s move to the new U.S. headquarters facility in the first quarter of 2024, partially offset by the decrease in net income.

    The Company incurred $1.2 million in transaction costs for the first quarter, primarily legal and professional fees incurred in relation to its previously announced evaluation of strategic alternatives. In addition, the Company incurred restructuring costs of approximately $0.3 million primarily related to the Company’s foreign operations.

    The Company repurchased 367,873 shares of its common stock for $5.0 million during the first quarter of 2025 through its underlying share repurchase program and a privately-negotiated transaction.

    Guidance
    Based on our first quarter 2025 financial results and the underlying market dynamics we have observed to date, the Company is revising its previously issued full-year guidance below. Current levels of uncertainty and volatility affecting market conditions and consumer behavior, have increased the difficulty of reliably forecasting short-term results.   Moreover, as previously announced, the Company is in the process of executing on a long-term strategy of investing in its digital business offerings to increase their contribution to the Company’s revenue and to increase its profitability.   Accordingly, the Company is discontinuing issuing quarterly guidance.

    Full-year 2025:
    •Revenue of $634.9 million to $654.2 million.
    •Diluted EPS of $1.53 to $1.65.
    •Adjusted Diluted EPS of $1.86 to $2.02.
    •Adjusted EBITDA of $103.6 million to $106.8 million.

    Non-GAAP Measures
    Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings per Share, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin and Net Free Cash Generated, each a Non-GAAP financial measure, are the primary metrics used by management to evaluate the financial performance of our business. We present these Non-GAAP financial measures because we believe they are frequently used by analysts, investors, and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry. Furthermore, we believe they are helpful in highlighting trends in our operating results, because certain of such measures exclude, among other things, the effects of certain transactions that are outside the control of management, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the jurisdictions in which we operate and capital investments.

    Adjusted Net Income is defined as Net Income adjusted to add back certain charges and expenses, such as non-cash amortization of certain intangible assets resulting from business and asset acquisition transactions, non-cash compensation costs, and other items outlined in the reconciliation table below, as these charges and expenses are not considered a part of our core business operations and are not an indicator of ongoing future Company performance.

    Adjusted Earnings per Share – Basic and Diluted is calculated by dividing Adjusted Net Income by GAAP weighted-average common shares outstanding (basic and diluted).

    Adjusted EBITDA is defined as Net Income before depreciation and amortization, interest expense, income taxes, and adjusted to add back certain charges and expenses, such as non-cash compensation costs and other items outlined in the reconciliation table below, as these charges and expenses are not considered a part of our core business operations and are not an indicator of ongoing future Company performance.

    Adjusted EBITDA Margin is calculated by dividing Adjusted EBITDA by Revenues.

    Net Free Cash Generated is defined as Net Income before provision for credit losses and depreciation and amortization adjusted to add back certain non-cash charges and expenses, such as non-cash compensation costs, and reduced by cash used in investing activities and servicing of our debt obligations.

    Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings per Share, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, and Net Free Cash Generated are non-GAAP financial measures and should not be considered as an alternative to operating income, net income, net income margin or earnings per share, as a measure of operating performance or cash flows, or as a measure of liquidity. Non-GAAP financial measures are not necessarily calculated the same way by different companies and should not be considered a substitute for or superior to U.S. GAAP.

    Reconciliations of Net Income, the Company’s closest GAAP measure, to Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EBITDA, and Net Free Cash Generated, as well as a reconciliation of Earnings per Share (Basic and Diluted) to Adjusted Earnings per Share (Basic and Diluted) and Net Income Margin to Adjusted EBITDA Margin, are outlined in the tables below following the condensed consolidated financial statements. A quantitative reconciliation of projected Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS to the most comparable GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable efforts because of the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying the amounts necessary under GAAP guidance for operating or other adjusted items including, without limitation, costs and expenses related to acquisitions and other transactions, share-based compensation, tax effects of certain adjustments and losses related to legal contingencies or disposal of assets. For the same reasons, we are unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information.

    Investor and Analyst Conference Call / Presentation
    Intermex will host a conference call and webcast presentation at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time today. Interested parties are invited to join the discussion and gain firsthand knowledge about Intermex’s financial performance and operational achievements through the following channels:

    • A live broadcast of the conference call may be accessed via the Investor Relations section of Intermex’s website at https://investors.intermexonline.com/.
    • To participate in the live conference call via telephone, please register HERE. Upon registering, a dial-in number and unique PIN will be provided to join the conference call.
    • Following the conference call, an archived webcast of the call will be available for one year on Intermex’s website at https://investors.intermexonline.com/.

    Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, which reflect our current views concerning certain events that are not historical facts but could have an effect on our future performance, including but without limitation, statements regarding our plans, objectives, financial performance, business strategies, projected results of operations, restructuring initiatives and expectations for the Company. These statements may include and be identified by words or phrases such as, without limitation, “would,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “continues,” “could,” “may,” “might,” “plans,” “possible,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “assumes,” “estimates,” “approximately,” “shall,” “our planning assumptions,” “future outlook,” “currently,” “target,” “guidance,” and similar expressions (including the negative and plural forms of such words and phrases). These forward-looking statements are based largely on information currently available to our management and our current expectations, assumptions, plans, estimates, judgments, projections about our business and our industry, and macroeconomic conditions, and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, estimates, contingencies, and other factors, many of which are outside our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and liquidity. Such factors include, among others: changes in immigration laws and their enforcement, including any adverse effects on the level of immigrant employment, earning potential and other commercial activities; our success in expanding customer acceptance of our digital services and infrastructure, as well as developing, introducing and marketing new digital and other products and services; new technology or competitors that disrupt the current money transfer and payment ecosystem, including the introduction of new digital platforms; loss of, or reduction in business with, key sending agents; our ability to effectively compete in the markets in which we operate; economic factors such as inflation, the level of economic activity, recession risks and labor market conditions, as well as volatility in market interest rates; international political factors, including ongoing hostilities in Ukraine and the Middle East, political instability, tariffs, including the effects of tariffs on domestic markets and industrial activity and employment, border taxes or restrictions on remittances or transfers from the outbound countries in which we operate or plan to operate; volatility in foreign exchange rates that could affect the volume of consumer remittance activity and/or affect our foreign exchange related gains and losses; consumer confidence in our brands and in consumer money transfers generally; expansion into new geographic markets or product markets; our ability to successfully execute, manage, integrate and obtain the anticipated financial benefits of key acquisitions and mergers; cybersecurity-attacks or disruptions to our information technology, computer network systems, data centers and mobile devices applications; the ability of our risk management and compliance policies, procedures and systems to mitigate risk related to transaction monitoring; consumer fraud and other risks relating to the authenticity of customers’ orders or the improper or illegal use of our services by consumers, sending agents or digital partners; our ability to maintain favorable banking and paying agent relationships necessary to conduct our business; bank failures, sustained financial illiquidity, or illiquidity at the clearing, cash management or custodial financial institutions with which we do business; changes to banking industry regulation and practice; credit risks from our agents, digital partners and the financial institutions with which we do business; our ability to recruit and retain key personnel; our ability to maintain compliance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements, including those intended to prevent use of our money remittance services for criminal activity, those related to data and cybersecurity protection, and those related to new business initiatives; enforcement actions and private litigation under regulations applicable to money remittance services; changes in tax laws in the countries in which we operate; our ability to protect intellectual property rights; our ability to satisfy our debt obligations and remain in compliance with our credit facility requirements; public health conditions, responses thereto and the economic and market effects thereof; the use of third-party vendors and service providers; weakness in U.S. or international economic conditions; and other economic, business, and/or competitive factors, risks and uncertainties, including those described in the “Risk Factors” and other sections of periodic reports and other filings that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, we caution investors and all others not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date such statement is made and we undertake no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements.

    About International Money Express, Inc.
    Founded in 1994, Intermex applies proprietary technology enabling consumers to send money from the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany to more than 60 countries. The Company provides the digital movement of money through a network of agent retailers in the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany; Company-operated stores; our mobile apps; and the Company’s websites. Transactions are fulfilled and paid through thousands of retail and bank locations around the world. Intermex is headquartered in Miami, Florida, with international offices in Puebla, Mexico, Guatemala City, Guatemala, London, England, and Madrid, Spain. For more information about Intermex, please visit www.intermexonline.com.

    Alex Sadowski
    Investor Relations Coordinator
    ir@intermexusa.com
    tel. 305-671-8000

    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
             
        March 31,   December 31,
    (in thousands of dollars)     2025     2024
    ASSETS   (Unaudited)    
    Current assets:        
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 151,764   $ 130,503
    Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $4,095 and $3,546, respectively     131,026     107,077
    Prepaid wires, net     32,577     49,205
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     10,561     10,998
    Total current assets     325,928     297,783
             
    Property and equipment, net     52,603     50,354
    Goodwill     55,195     55,195
    Intangible assets, net     26,058     26,847
    Deferred tax asset, net     18    
    Other assets     30,787     32,198
    Total assets   $ 490,589   $ 462,377
             
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
    Current liabilities:        
    Accounts payable   $ 23,410   $ 19,520
    Wire transfers and money orders payable, net     115,081     85,044
    Accrued and other liabilities     47,977     47,434
    Total current liabilities     186,468     151,998
             
    Long-term liabilities:        
    Debt, net     147,385     156,623
    Lease liabilities, net     17,493     18,582
    Deferred tax liability, net         250
    Total long-term liabilities     164,878     175,455
             
    Stockholders’ equity:        
    Total stockholders’ equity     139,243     134,924
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 490,589   $ 462,377
             
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
         
        Three Months Ended March 31,
    (in thousands of dollars, except for per share data)     2025     2024
        (Unaudited)
    Revenues:        
    Wire transfer and money order fees, net   $ 120,167   $ 126,921
    Foreign exchange gain, net     20,181     20,346
    Other income     3,962     3,145
    Total revenues     144,310     150,412
             
    Operating expenses:        
    Service charges from agents and banks     93,788     97,934
    Salaries and benefits     18,288     18,106
    Other selling, general and administrative expenses     10,989     9,953
    Provision for credit losses     2,066     1,595
    Restructuring costs     306    
    Transaction costs     1,169     10
    Depreciation and amortization     3,629     3,228
    Total operating expenses     130,235     130,826
             
    Operating income     14,075     19,586
             
    Interest expense     2,700     2,702
             
    Income before income taxes     11,375     16,884
             
    Income tax provision     3,606     4,778
             
    Net income   $ 7,769   $ 12,106
             
    Earnings per common share:        
    Basic   $ 0.25   $ 0.36
    Diluted   $ 0.25   $ 0.35
             
    Weighted-average common shares outstanding:        
    Basic     30,587,949     33,675,441
    Diluted     30,831,633     34,188,814
    Reconciliation from Net Income to Adjusted Net Income
         
        Three Months Ended March 31,
    (in thousands of dollars, except for per share data)     2025       2024  
        (Unaudited)
             
    Net Income   $ 7,769     $ 12,106  
             
    Adjusted for:        
    Share-based compensation (a)     2,112       2,153  
    Restructuring costs (b)     306        
    Transaction costs (c)     1,169       10  
    Other charges and expenses (d)     327       437  
    Amortization of intangibles (e)     711       977  
    Income tax benefit related to adjustments (f)     (1,466 )     (1,012 )
    Adjusted Net Income   $ 10,928     $ 14,671  
             
    Adjusted earnings per common share:        
    Basic   $ 0.36     $ 0.44  
    Diluted   $ 0.35     $ 0.43  

    (a) Represents share-based compensation relating to equity awards granted primarily to employees and independent directors of the Company.

    (b) Represents primarily severance, write-off of assets and, legal and professional fees related to the execution of restructuring plans.

    (c) Represents primarily financial advisory, professional and legal fees related to business acquisition transactions and strategic alternatives.

    (d) Represents primarily loss on disposal of fixed assets.

    (e) Represents the amortization of certain intangible assets that resulted from business and asset acquisition transactions.

    (f) Represents the current and deferred tax impact of the taxable adjustments to Net Income using the Company’s blended federal and state tax rate for each period. Relevant tax-deductible adjustments include all adjustments to Net Income.

    Reconciliation from Basic Earnings per Share to Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share
         
        Three Months Ended March 31,
          2025       2024  
        (Unaudited)
    Basic Earnings per Share   $ 0.25     $ 0.36  
    Adjusted for:        
    Share-based compensation     0.07       0.06  
    Restructuring costs     0.01        
    Transaction costs     0.04       NM  
    Other charges and expenses     0.01       0.01  
    Amortization of intangibles     0.02       0.03  
    Income tax benefit related to adjustments     (0.05 )     (0.03 )
    Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share   $ 0.36     $ 0.44  

    NM—Amount is not meaningful

    The table above may contain slight summation differences due to rounding

    Reconciliation from Diluted Earnings per Share to Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share
         
        Three Months Ended March 31,
          2025       2024  
        (Unaudited)
    Diluted Earnings per Share   $ 0.25     $ 0.35  
    Adjusted for:        
    Share-based compensation     0.07       0.06  
    Restructuring costs     0.01        
    Transaction costs     0.04       NM  
    Other charges and expenses     0.01       0.01  
    Amortization of intangibles     0.02       0.03  
    Income tax benefit related to adjustments     (0.05 )     (0.03 )
    Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share   $ 0.35     $ 0.43  

    NM—Amount is not meaningful

    The table above may contain slight summation differences due to rounding

    Reconciliation from Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA
         
        Three Months Ended March 31,
    (in thousands of dollars)     2025     2024
        (Unaudited)
    Net Income   $ 7,769   $ 12,106
             
    Adjusted for:        
    Interest expense     2,700     2,702
    Income tax provision     3,606     4,778
    Depreciation and amortization     3,629     3,228
    EBITDA     17,704     22,814
    Share-based compensation (a)     2,112     2,153
    Restructuring costs (b)     306    
    Transaction costs (c)     1,169     10
    Other charges and expenses (d)     327     437
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 21,618   $ 25,414

    (a) Represents share-based compensation relating to equity awards granted primarily to employees and independent directors of the Company.

    (b) Represents primarily severance, write-off of assets and legal and professional fees related to the execution of restructuring plans.

    (c) Represents primarily financial advisory, professional and legal fees related to business acquisition transactions and strategic alternatives.

    (d) Represents primarily loss on disposal of fixed assets.

    Reconciliation from Net Income Margin to Adjusted EBITDA Margin
         
        Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025     2024  
        (Unaudited)
    Net Income Margin   5.4 %   8.0 %
    Adjusted for:        
    Interest expense   1.9 %   1.8 %
    Income tax provision   2.5 %   3.2 %
    Depreciation and amortization   2.5 %   2.1 %
    EBITDA Margin   12.3 %   15.2 %
    Share-based compensation   1.5 %   1.4 %
    Restructuring costs   0.2 %   %
    Transaction costs   0.8 %   %
    Other charges and expenses   0.2 %   0.3 %
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin   15.0 %   16.9 %

    The table above may contain slight summation differences due to rounding

    Reconciliation of Net Income to Net Free Cash Generated
         
        Three Months Ended March 31,
    (in thousands of dollars)     2025       2024  
        (Unaudited)
             
    Net income for the period   $ 7,769     $ 12,106  
             
    Depreciation and amortization     3,629       3,228  
    Share-based compensation     2,112       2,153  
    Provision for credit losses     2,066       1,595  
    Cash used in investing activities     (5,313 )     (13,480 )
    Term loan pay downs           (1,641 )
             
    Net Free Cash Generated during the period   $ 10,263     $ 3,961  

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: KVH Launches CommBox Edge Secure Suite for Advanced Cybersecurity Threat Detection & Response

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIDDLETOWN, R.I., May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, KVH Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: KVHI) unveiled the newest expansion to its CommBox Edge Communications Gateway–the Secure Suite threat detection and response service. Focused on detecting, preventing, and reporting cybersecurity threats, CommBox Edge Secure Suite actively identifies and blocks harmful traffic in real time to reduce the risks to vessel communications, operations, and network security. Secure Suite is fully compatible with both the CommBox Edge 6 and Edge 2 belowdeck appliances and the CommBox Edge virtual machine option, making it an easy-to-use and versatile cybersecurity upgrade to the CommBox Edge’s robust network and bandwidth management capabilities.

    “The modern commercial vessel is an extension of the corporate office–a mobile, connected network node that can face the threat of malicious cyber activities that put people, cargo, vessels, and business operations at risk,” observed Chad Impey, KVH’s senior vice president of global sales. “CommBox Edge Secure Suite is designed for rapid, easy, and affordable deployment while delivering advanced detection, prevention, and reporting capabilities. Combined with the CommBox Edge network and bandwidth management capabilities, Secure Suite delivers enhanced security for individual vessels and entire fleets while simultaneously maximizing your IT team’s resources and optimizing your communications.”

    CommBox Edge Secure Suite employs some of the most advanced cybersecurity and proactive monitoring technology available, including:

    • Cisco Talos, one of the world’s most advanced threat-blocking and detection solutions, focuses on emerging and existing cyber threats, enabling CommBox Edge Secure Suite to recognize and respond to new threat IDs and threat patterns.
    • Cisco Snort monitors, analyzes, and responds to malicious network traffic in real time using Cisco Talos rulesets, helping CommBox Edge Secure Suite identify and mitigate potential security threats.

    Secure Suite also includes a robust Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), active quarantine capabilities, and an intuitive cloud-based Threat Dashboard to reduce cyber risks to vessels, networks, and crews. The service helps mitigate those risks as part of a comprehensive network and onboard cybersecurity solution focused on:

    • Detection – The CommBox Edge Secure Suite IPS monitors incoming and outgoing traffic for suspicious patterns or signatures that match known attack types (like malware, vulnerabilities, or exploits).
    • Prevention – The IPS responds in real time to malicious actions by blocking harmful traffic (e.g., malware, viruses, denial of service, ping of death, etc.), resetting connections, adjusting firewalls, initiating quarantines, and sending alerts to administrators.
    • Reporting – Secure Suite includes an intuitive cloud-based Threat Dashboard. Also, it captures and reports detailed threat logs (including syslogs/rsyslogs) to an offsite Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system or Security Operations Center (SOC) for future analysis and actionable insights.

    With this data and Secure Suite’s advanced features, you can enable new proactive responses to threats, minimize recovery time, pass security audits, remain compliant with industry standards, and identify resource-intensive threats to ensure optimal network performance,” concluded Impey.

    Secure Suite is available now as a service option within CommBox Edge, KVH’s all-in-one management toolbox for maritime IT professionals who want to control the growing array of wide area network (WAN) options, such as the VSAT, low earth orbit (LEO) services, 5G cellular, and other services available through the KVH ONE® global network. CommBox Edge also supports as many as thirty onboard local area networks and provides secure remote access to any onboard networked device, high-speed VPN links, and deep packet inspection.

    Note to Editors: For more information about CommBox Edge, please visit https://www.kvh.com/edge. High-resolution images of KVH products are available at the KVH Press Room Image Library, https://www.kvh.com/imagelibrary.

    About KVH Industries, Inc.

    KVH Industries, Inc. is a global leader in maritime and mobile connectivity delivered via the KVH ONE network. The company, founded in 1982, is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development, and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and more than a dozen offices around the globe. KVH provides connectivity solutions for commercial maritime, leisure marine, military/government, and land mobile applications on vessels and vehicles, including the TracNet®, TracPhone®, and TracVision® product lines, CommBox Edge, the KVH ONE OpenNet Program for non-KVH antennas, AgilePlans® Connectivity as a Service (CaaS), and the KVH Link crew wellbeing content service.

    This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. For example, forward-looking statements include claims regarding the anticipated efficacy of cybersecurity features to minimize risks to networks, operations, and crews. These and other factors are discussed in more detail in KVH’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 10, 2025. Copies are available through its Investor Relations department and website: https://investors.kvh.com. KVH does not assume any obligation to update our forward-looking statements to reflect new information and developments.

    KVH Industries, Inc., has used, registered, or applied to register its trademarks in the USA and other countries around the world, including but not limited to the following marks: KVH, KVH ONE, TracVision, TracPhone, TracNet, CommBox, and AgilePlans. Other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

    For further information, please contact:
    Chris Watson
    Vice President, Marketing & Communications
    KVH Industries, Inc.
    Tel: +1 401 845 2441
    cwatson@kvh.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lofgren, Matsui, Merkley Reintroduce Legislation to Give Individuals an Opportunity to Invest in Building America’s Clean-Energy Future

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

    Modeled after WWII victory bonds, Clean Energy Victory Bonds would spur investment in clean-energy projects, create jobs, & help U.S. fight the climate crisis

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) and Doris Matsui (CA-07) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) reintroduced the Clean Energy Victory Bond Act, bicameral legislation to give individuals the opportunity to buy Clean Energy Victory Bonds and help build America’s clean-energy future. Modeled after the highly successful victory bonds sold during World Wars I and II, which raised billions of dollars to finance the costs of war, Clean Energy Victory Bonds would help the country create jobs and save taxpayers money while investing in clean-energy infrastructure and fighting the climate crisis, protecting future generations.

    The bill would direct the U.S. Secretaries of Treasury, Energy, and Defense to develop and issue $50 billion in Clean Energy Victory Bonds that support energy efficiency, solar, wind, geothermal, and electric vehicle efforts. For as little as $50, all Americans would be able to voluntarily purchase these Treasury bonds to invest in clean energy.

    The sale of the $50 billion worth of bonds annually could be leveraged to inject $150 billion into clean-energy innovation and create more than one million jobs.

    “As climate-related emergencies become more and more common, I often hear from people who want to do their part in the fight against climate change, but don’t know how. The Clean Energy Victory Bond Act provides Americans with an opportunity to invest, within their means, in innovative technologies that will yield profits both for themselves and the world,” said Congresswoman Lofgren, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. “This is my seventh time reintroducing this bill. I feel strongly that, as momentum continues to build in California and around the country to be good stewards of our environment, we must employ proven economic growth-based tactics to tackle climate change. We all benefit when we invest in the future.”

    “Now, more than ever, we need collective action to fight climate change and support smart climate solutions,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “This legislation gives everyday Americans the opportunity to invest in the clean energy transition and help grow the American economy. This investment will flow back into our communities, creating good-paying jobs, lowering energy costs, and helping to make communities across the country more resilient to climate change, while also providing a strong return on investment and helping American families to safely and reliably grow their savings with government-backed bonds.”

    “Clean energy is America’s future, no matter how hard President Trump and his handpicked Fossil Fuel Cabinet try to sabotage its deployment,” said Senator Merkley. “As the Trump Administration slashes federal funds for renewable energy projects nationwide – including right here in Oregon – I’m fighting to advance solutions that will help end our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels and instead invest in public health and our environment. This bill expands access to affordable clean energy for families across America, delivering bold action to tackle climate chaos and creating jobs in the 21st-century economy.”

    Background

    The Clean Energy Victory Bonds would raise extra funds for investment in clean-energy and energy-efficiency deployment, including by:

    • Providing additional support to existing federal financing programs available to states for energy efficiency upgrades and clean energy deployment;
    • Providing funding for clean energy investments by all federal agencies;
    • Providing funding for electric grid enhancements and connections that enable clean energy deployment;
    • Providing funding to renovate existing inefficient buildings or building new energy efficient buildings;
    • Providing tax incentives and tax credits for clean energy technologies;
    • Providing funding for new innovation research, including ARPA-E, public competitions similar to those designed by the X Prize Foundation, grants provided through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the Department of Energy, or other mechanisms to fund revolutionary clean energy technology;
    • Providing additional funding for zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and manufacturing;
    • Providing additional funding to existing federal, State, and local grant programs that finance clean energy projects; and
    • Providing prioritized funding for clean energy projects that are located in and reduce energy rates in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.  

    The Clean Energy Victory Bonds would:

    • be available to the public in denominations as low as $50;
    • accrue interest based on savings achieved through reduced-energy spending by the federal government and interest collected on loans provided from proceeds of the bonds; and
    • be capped at $50 billion each year.
    Click here for full text of the Clean Energy Victory Bond Act.

    In Connecticut, “Green Liberty Bonds” have been issued, and batches have sold out because the demand is so great. 

    Support from Sustainability & Business Groups

    The bill is supported by numerous organizations, includingGreen America, Communitas Financial Planning PBC, Transformative Wealth Management, Natural Investments, American Sustainable Business Council, Impact Investors, School Sisters of Notre Dame Collective Investment Fund, Figure 8 Investment Strategies, Greenvest/Vanderbilt Financial Group, Change the Chamber, Harkins Wealth Management, SharePower Responsible Investing, Your Best Path, LLC, and Chicory Wealth.

    “Americans from around the country support clean energy that will create jobs while addressing the climate crisis. In World War II, Victory Bonds offered Americans a way to support the war effort. Now, Clean Energy Victory Bonds will offer all Americans a safe investment, open to anyone, to support the rapid adoption of the solar, wind, and battery storage technologies that will benefit communities, workers, and the planet,” said Todd Larsen, Executive Co-Director For Consumer and Corporate Engagement, Green America.

    “Clean Energy Victory Bonds will provide a much-needed economic boost to our businesses and economy. This bill provides a reliable and highly-accessible financing mechanism that allows all Americans to provide the needed dollars for building a vibrant economy.” In an environment of reduced Federal Government spending this enables everyone to invest and work hand in hand with the private sector,” said David Levine, Co-founder and President, American Sustainable Business Council.

    “Taking a step forward to adjust our energy industry to meet the needs of the changing country, the Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act uses historical precedence to advance the U.S. toward a cleaner, brighter future for youth like us. While the transition to a clean energy economy may seem ambitious at times, this Act will allow everyday Americans to create an economy that works for all of us. It provides Americans the opportunity to help incentivize cleaner infrastructure and energy, paving the way for future steps to better our nation’s energy and climate,” said Evey Mengelkoch, Erika Pietrzak, and Sarah Hill, Climate Fellows of Change the Chamber

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Business – Sustainability start-ups Krosslinker and Ayrton Energy secure S$1 million each in catalytic funding at The Liveability Challenge 2025 Grand Finale

    Source: Eco-Business

    The 2025 Grand Finale witnessed another record-breaking year, attracting more than 1,200 submissions from over 100 countries competing for the top prize in two tracks: Decarbonisation and Cool Earth.

    Passive cooling using advanced aerogel technology and safe, cost-effective storage and transport to accelerate adoption of hydrogen as a clean fuel were the top winners at the Grand Finale.
    The Liveability Challenge, was presented by Temasek Foundation and organised by Eco-Business. 

    Singapore, 7 May 2025: Krosslinker and Ayrton Energy have emerged as the top winners at The Liveability Challenge (TLC) 2025 Grand Finale for their innovative solutions to drive decarbonisation and tackle climate challenges.

    The two groundbreaking projects were the standouts among eight finalists, each securing a S$1 million grant in catalytic funding to help advance and scale their solutions sustainably.

    The winner of the Cool Earth track was Singapore-based deep-tech start-up Krosslinker, which develops passive cooling technologies in the form of aerogel materials capable of reducing surface temperatures by up to 10 degrees Celsius and ambient temperatures by up to 5 degrees Celsius.

    The winner of the Decarbonisation track was Canada-based Ayrton Energy, which develops technology for safe and cost-effective hydrogen storage and transport, and addresses infrastructure challenges that currently hinder the widespread adoption of hydrogen energy.

    The two winners were selected after a competitive and rigorous judging session, where all eight finalists pitched their innovative solutions live to a judging panel at the Grand Finale, held at ParkRoyal Collection Marina Bay as part of Ecosperity Week.

    These pioneering climate solutions are integral in advancing progress towards the climate targets set under the Paris Agreement in 2015 – an urgent imperative as global temperatures reach dangerously new highs each year.  

    With rising heat, extreme weather events and ecological deterioration afflicting society and natural ecosystems, solutions must be mobilised to address these climate impacts while contributing to the global targets of reducing emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050.

    This will require coordinated efforts across society, enabling regulatory frameworks and strategic investments to enable the large-scale deployment of innovative climate technologies.

    Presented by Temasek Foundation and organised by Eco-Business, TLC was launched in 2018 as a platform to search for the most disruptive and innovative solutions that solve the pressing sustainability challenges of today.

    Today, TLC is Asia’s largest sustainability solutions platform and since its first edition, has attracted thousands of applications globally, shortlisted and incubated 53 finalists, and deployed more than S$12 million in funding to help these startups, who have gone on to raise hundreds of millions more.  

    In its eighth edition, TLC searched for solutions across two tracks: Decarbonisation and Cool Earth. The Decarbonisation track seeks disruptive deep-tech solutions that provide scalable and impactful solutions to reduce carbon emissions across diverse industries. The Cool Earth track seeks groundbreaking innovations that specifically address the challenges posed by climate-induced extreme weather conditions.

    The eight shortlisted finalist teams – Ayrton Energy, CatAmmon, Cetogenix, CO2Tech, D-CRBN, Eztia Corp, Krosslinker and SXD, Inc – represent various countries including Singapore, Australia, Belgium and the United States.

    TLC’s strategic partners this year are Enterprise Singapore, OCTAVE Well-being Economy Fund, TRIREC and Valuence Ventures. Amazon Web Services was the Tech for Good partner for the event.

    “We are very happy and excited [to have secured this award], but this is just the beginning. We have a very big job to do to make sure that we develop solutions that equitably reach everybody and not just the tech-savvy community. Many thanks to Temasek Foundation for all the inspiring work that you have been doing, and to all our investors who have specially flown in for this event. To all the fellow finalists who keep inspiring us – it’s such amazing work to solve some of the most difficult challenges in this world and committing to a cause rather than building easy solutions,” said Dr Gayathri Natarajan, Co-founder and CEO of Krosslinker Private Limited.  

    “We’re really excited to be able to have this funding support and cement our position in Singapore and Southeast Asia. I’m very grateful to Temasek Foundation for believing in the tech that we’re building, and in our ability to decarbonise these hard-to-abate sectors. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my fantastic team of nerds, as I like to call them back home, as well as the support that we have from our investors both locally and internationally,” said Dr Brandy Kinkead, Chief Technology Officer of Ayrton Energy Inc.

    “At Temasek Foundation, we believe in the urgency of supporting bold and deep-tech innovative solutions that can drive real progress in decarbonising our planet, and keeping our environment cool even with rising temperatures. Our catalytic funding reflects this important commitment – helping innovators move from promising innovations to operational prototypes with potential to scale. Beyond The Liveability Challenge, Temasek Foundation is growing our network of climate tech challenges across the region into China, Indonesia and Vietnam. By doing so, we aim to accelerate innovators’ paths to commercialisation and deliver real impact for both the people and the planet. Our heartiest congratulations to Krosslinker Private Limited and Ayrton Energy Inc on this exciting milestone,” said Heng Li Lang, Head of Climate and Liveability at Temasek Foundation.  

    “TLC has become a fixture in the global sustainability innovation ecosystem, providing a vital catalytic platform for promising start-ups with cutting-edge climate tech solutions from all over the world. By driving innovation, entrepreneurship, ecosystem collaboration and access to finance, it helps groundbreaking ideas move beyond the prototype stage to deliver real-world impact. In a world dangerously close to irreversible planetary thresholds, accelerating these solutions is no longer optional – it is critical,” said Jessica Cheam, Founder and CEO of Eco-Business.

    In addition to the two S$1 million in grants (S$1 million for each winner), a total of S$400,000 in investment and grant opportunities were awarded to the finalists by TLC’s strategic partners [see Appendix A].  

    The Grand Finale also hosted an Innovation Dialogue where speakers Mark Gainsborough, Chairman, Seatrium; Magdalene Loh, Director, Urban Systems and Solutions, Enterprise Singapore; and Dr Dazril Phua, Chief Operating Officer, Nandina REM, identified the solutions needed to advance climate tech solutions and innovation in Singapore and globally – including ecosystem building, policy and financial support and public private partnerships.

    Experts said that clear market signals and policy coherence were key to enabling climate technologies to scale. “Technology risk is (usually) the least of the problem. But is the market going to develop the way as expected and is there a supportive policy framework and regulation? Unfortunately, there are too many cases in the climate tech space where the market hasn’t developed as we expected because of an ever-changing policy and regulation landscape,” Mark Gainsborough, Chairman of Singapore-listed marine engineering company Seatrium, shared during the Innovation Dialogue.  

    Magdalene Loh, Director, Urban Systems and Solutions, Enterprise Singapore, noted that in addition to scaleability and exportability, climate tech solutions must be effectively priced to attract customers, and designed for easy integration into existing systems or processes.

    “Today, many of the climate tech solutions that we’re seeing do need to interact with existing infrastructure – existing systems that clients would already be used to. How would these tech solutions integrate? Many times, you need the buy-in internally within the organisation, not just with the innovation team. There are different facets of the clients to [consider] to secure buy-in as well,” Loh said.  

    For more information, visit The Liveability Challenge website at  www.theliveabilitychallenge.org.  

    About Temasek Foundation 

    Temasek Foundation supports a diverse range of programmes that uplift lives and communities in Singapore and beyond. Temasek Foundation’s programmes are made possible through philanthropic endowments gifted by Temasek, as well as gifts and contributions from other donors. These programmes strive towards achieving positive outcomes for individuals and communities now and for generations to come. Collectively, Temasek Foundation’s programmes strengthen social resilience, foster international exchange and regional capabilities, advance science and protect the planet. 

    For more information, visit www.temasekfoundation.org.sg

    About Eco-Business 

    Established in 2009, Eco-Business is Asia Pacific’s leading media organisation on sustainable development. Its independent journalism unit publishes high quality, trusted news and views that advance dialogue and enables measurable impact on a wide range of sustainable development and responsible business issues. Eco-Business is headquartered in Singapore, with a presence in Beijing, Hong Kong, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and correspondents across major cities in Asia Pacific. Visit www.eco-business.com  

    Appendix A

    Additional investment and grant opportunities:

    Singapore’s Krosslinker Private Limited received S$100,000 from OCTAVE Well-being Economy Fund to develop urban cooling solutions using zero energy aerogel coating.

    Canada’s Ayrton Energy Inc received S$100,000 from TRIREC and S$100,000 from Valuence Ventures to develop safe hydrogen storage and transport which seamlessly integrates with existing liquid fuel infrastructure.

    Australia’s CO2Tech received S$100,000 from Enterprise Singapore to develop a cost effective and compact CO2 capture solution which converts emissions into carbon-negative and valuable products.

    Appendix B

    Comments from our Strategic Partners:

    Emily Liew, Assistant Managing Director, Innovation, Enterprise Singapore, said: “As the world races to address pressing environmental challenges, we need platforms such as The Liveability Challenge more than ever to uncover and support breakthrough climate innovations. Start-ups can leverage Singapore’s robust innovation ecosystem, infrastructure and strategic networks to validate and scale their climate solutions. Enterprise Singapore is committed to working with important partners such as Temasek Foundation to accelerate the development of innovative solutions for a sustainable future.”

    Axel Tan, Venture Partner, OCTAVE Well-being Economy Fund, said: “Climate tech startups are pioneering vital solutions for a more liveable planet, but they face steep challenges in scaling. At the OCTAVE Well-being Economy Fund, we believe in backing these innovators by bridging capital, partnerships and purpose. Together with platforms like The Liveability Challenge, we can direct collective investment toward breakthrough technologies – accelerating the transition to a cleaner, more conscious and regenerative future.”

    Andrew Wong, Director, TRIREC, said: “The Liveability Challenge is crucial as it catalyses breakthrough innovations urgently needed to tackle escalating climate crises. By matching catalytic capital with the most promising solutions in climate change, the Challenge accelerates the commercialisation of transformative technologies, especially in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment. This platform not only empowers innovators to scale their impact but also drives collective action toward a net-zero and a climate-resilient future worldwide. TRIREC looks forward to supporting ambitious climate founders.”

    Andrew Hyung, General Partner, Valuence Ventures, said: “At a time when the world’s attention is pulled in many directions and the climate crisis is too often set aside, The Liveability Challenge brings much needed focus. It unites visionaries, doers and believers to shape a future we all deserve. By turning urgency into momentum and bold ideas into real solutions, this platform reminds us that hope backed by action can still change everything.”

    Ashley Tan, International Head of Social Impact & Sustainability at Amazon Web Services (AWS), said: “We’re excited by the powerful sustainability solutions presented by winners Krosslinker Private Limited and Ayrton Energy Inc, and the other finalists. Together with Temasek Foundation and Eco-business, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is committed to making a positive environmental and social impact around the world. We will continue to provide the latest AI-driven technologies and bench of deep technical expertise to power innovative solutions in the cloud and solve the climate crisis’s most pressing decarbonisation and food security challenges of our time.”

    Appendix C

    Finalists for The Liveability Challenge 2025:

    1. Ayrton Energy Inc (Canada)  

    Solution: Safe hydrogen storage and transport that seamlessly integrates with existing liquid fuel infrastructure for scalable deployment that is up to 50 per cent lower cost 

    2. CatAmmon (Israel) 

    Solution: ”Cold” (400ºC) ammonia cracking, catalysed by Ruthenium – free, ceramic nanomaterials that achieves over 30 per cent reductions in cost for hydrogen generation 

     3.  Cetogenix (New Zealand)

    Solution: Transforming urban waste into renewable natural gas, green ammonia and other circular bioeconomy products with carbon intensities 19 times less than those of fossil equivalents 

    4.  CO2Tech (Australia) 

    Solution: Cost effective and compact CO2 capture solution capable of converting emissions into carbon negative and valuable products  

    5. D-CRBN (Belgium) 

    Solution: Plasma-based CO2 recycling with a fossil price parity  

    6. Eztia Corp (US)

    Solution: Cooling wearables that absorb body heat, reducing skin temperature by 10°C  

    7. Krosslinker Private Limited (Singapore)

    Solution: Cooling cities 24/7 with a zero energy aerogel coating: passive, powerful and planet friendly 

    8. SXD, Inc (US) 

    Solution: SXD uses its patent-published AI to co-design and scale zero material waste garments, driving 10 times the material savings, approximately 80 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions and up to 55 per cent in cost savings.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News

  • MIL-OSI Video: Sometimes MREs just ain’t it. On the way!

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #Army

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjDvxY4_glE

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI Video: U.S. Army Southern Border operations | Army Lethality

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    U.S. Army Soldiers with Task Force Sentinel conduct aerial reconnaissance along the southern border, supporting the Southern Border’s mission through agile, all-domain operations under U.S. Northern Command.

    (U.S. Army video by Sgt. Elijah Ingram)

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUyC4qOEE6Q

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Foreign Ministry: Egypt’s sovereignty over Suez Canal is beyond doubt

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — Egypt’s sovereignty over the Suez Canal and its right to manage and operate the canal are beyond question, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday.

    The Chinese diplomat made the statement at a regular departmental press conference, commenting at the request of journalists on a recent post by US President Donald Trump on the social platform Truth, in which he called for free transit of American commercial and military vessels through the Panama and Suez Canals, which provoked a strong protest from Egypt.

    “China firmly supports the Egyptian government and people in safeguarding their sovereignty, legitimate rights and interests, and opposes any form of bullying in words or actions,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Celebrates National Small Business Week Following White House Proclamation

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON — Today, Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), joined the nation in recognizing National Small Business Week after President Donald J. Trump issued a formal proclamation declaring that the week would take place May 4-10, 2025.

    “This National Small Business Week, we honor the vital role that America’s entrepreneurs and job creators play in making our country the greatest in the world – and we celebrate the return of growth and prosperity to Main Street thanks to President Trump,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “From farms to factories, hardworking small businesses are the engine of our economy, the heartbeat of our communities, and the foundation of our nation’s strength. With the America First agenda, they are a key part of a historic comeback that is restoring opportunity and renewing the promise of the American Dream.”

    “Entrepreneurship is the foundation of a free and prosperous Nation and the engine of the American economy — built by men and women who work hard, take risks, and believe in the power of the American Dream.  From our fields to our factories to the frontiers of technology, our small businesses embody the American spirit, driving growth and creating new employment opportunities,” President Trump said as part of his proclamation. “Our history of ingenuity and grit is unrivaled, and by renewing our support of small businesses, we are raising wages, strengthening American families, and leading our country and the world into a new Golden Age.”

    National Small Business Week recognizes the contributions of America’s 34 million small businesses. Small businesses make up 99% of all businesses in America and create two out of every three new jobs – employing about half of America’s workforce. SBA honors National Small Business Week with dozens of events held in cities across the nation, designed to celebrate local small businesses, educate job creators, and deliver resources to supercharge growth.

    The agency recently concluded its National Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C., where it named the National Small Business Person of the Year. This week, Administrator Loeffler will also travel to Idaho, Arizona, and Tennessee for additional events honoring America’s job creators, innovators, and builders.

    # # #

    About the U.S. Small Business AdministrationThe U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graduate Student Research Symposium Recognizes Academic Excellence and Innovation

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    For the first time at UConn, graduate students across all seven campuses had the opportunity to present their work at a single event: the Graduate Student Research Symposium. 

    Much of UConn’s graduate students’ research addresses real-world issues, allowing this inaugural symposium to not only celebrate academic excellence, but to also spotlight the impact graduate research has on Connecticut and beyond.  

    “Graduate students are having such a large impact on our community and on our state,” said Joy A. Hamer ’25 JD, the chief organizer of the symposium. “It was my mission to unite all seven of UConn’s branch campuses and showcase the hard work of our students.”

    Hamer, who serves as the graduate student trustee on the UConn Board of Trustees, started envisioning the event that ultimately became the poster competition while campaigning for her trustee position. A key part of her campaign was going to all of UConn’s campuses and meeting with graduate students to hear about their experiences and find ways to help them succeed.

    “Ultimately, what I found is most graduate students—irrespective of location or field of study—are conducting research that is very much interdisciplinary. For example, students studying pharmacy in Storrs, law in Hartford, or marine biology in Avery Point may all be focusing their research on environmental sustainability. Unfortunately, as we’re so dispersed across the state, a lot of our research becomes siloed,” said Hamer. 

    Alvaro Daniel Pantoja-Benavides shares his research on agricultural practices (Paula Steele / UConn Photo)

    Hamer’s mission was to highlight not only the work of graduate students but also how their research benefits the places where they live and work, which culminated in the April 23 symposium held at Rome Commons Ballroom at UConn Storrs.

    With scores of posters on display and hundreds in attendance, the symposium showcased the impressive breadth and depth of graduate research at UConn.

    In the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources’ Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, Ph.D. candidate Alvaro Daniel Pantoja-Benavides presented his findings regarding the extent to which the Gray Water Footprint (GWF) – the volume of fresh water required to assimilate pollutants to meet water quality standards – can be used as an indicator to compare the environmental impacts of agricultural practices. His work provides insight into how irrigation and fertilizing strategies can be advanced while maintaining sustainable practices.  

    “This has given me great opportunities to show how research can impact the environment and agriculture,” said Pantoja-Benavides. “If we know how to utilizes strategies to practice agriculture better and teach people more about it, it will benefit so many.”

    Each student who competed in the Symposium Poster Competition had their work categorized into one of six interdisciplinary research categories, with each category recognizing a winner and runner-up, followed by the winners competing in a final round. The overall winner and runner-up in the final round both came from the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 

    Ph.D. candidate Caroline Vieira da Silva won overall in the Cognition, Health, and Medicine category and then won the final round for her research titled, “Identification and characterization of the surface layer protein AvsA in outer membrane vesicles, antibiotic resistance, and in vivo host colonization in Aeromonas veronii.” Ph.D. candidate Sarah Pasqualetti came in first in the Economy, Energy, and Environment category, and was the overall runner-up for her work with microplastics.  

    One goal Hamer kept in mind while planning the poster competition was to give graduate students the opportunity to present their research to wider audiences, especially individuals who are not in their respective fields.  

    “Because we’re so dedicated to our research, as graduate students, it becomes easy to communicate exclusively in terms of art and industry jargon. This can make comprehension difficult for someone who isn’t in that discipline,” said Hamer. “So, the point is to be able to articulate and explain your research across sectors.

    Although poster competitions are commonly found in STEM fields, said Hamer, they seem to be translatable across disciplines. “As a law student, I’ve primarily participated in Moot Court, Mock Trial, and Negotiation competitions—all of which are very industry-specific.” Hosting this event as a poster competition offers graduate students of any field the chance to participate in sharing their findings. Additional formats such as pitch competitions and video competitions are in the works for the future iterations of the symposium.

    “It’s been helpful to learn how to communicate my research with different audiences,” said Muireann Nic Corcráin, a Ph.D. candidate in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies. “Talking to departments who aren’t in my field and don’t initially understand my work can further show the importance of cultural revival.”

    Keegan Jalbert presents research to a judge at the Graduate Student Research Symposium (Paula Steele / UConn Photo)

    In her research titled, “I Have a Voice: Towards the Development of Synthetic Voices for the Passamaquoddy Language,” Corcráin focused on the language revitalization of the Passamaquoddy language.  

    This Native American language is only spoken by 12% of 3,600 members, according to Corcráin’s research, which motivated her to work towards developing a text-to-speech synthetic voice for the language.  

    Her commitment to language revitalization and developing resources for ancestral languages, like the Passamaquoddy language, led her work to be recognized as the runner-up in the Humanity, Culture, and Arts category of the competition.  

    “It’s nice to be able to research something that has an impact on so many people, and that UConn provides us with these resources to do so,” said Julia Jerolamon, a Ph.D. student in the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. Her research focuses on deactivating a protein that, when found in high levels, has been shown to reduce survivability rates among patients with cancer.

    Hamer, who worked closely with Leslie Shor, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School, on organizing the event, said she was thrilled with the successful debut of what she expects to become a regular event for UConn graduate students.

    “This was our very first year, and I am so proud of our team and our engagement with the students. We’re looking forward to hosting this again in the future,” said Hamer.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neag School Class of 2025 Student Profile: Cece Echevarria

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Editor’s Note: As Commencement approaches, we are featuring some of our Neag School Class of 2025 graduating students over the coming days.

    Major: BS, American Sign Language Education and ASL Studies and minor in Linguistics
    Hometown: West Hartford, Connecticut

    Q: Why did you choose UConn?

    A: Growing up, I knew I would go to UConn. My dad was, and still is, one of the bus drivers for the UConn men’s hockey team, so my sister and I grew up going to the games at the XL Center. The energy was palpable – it just makes you want more. I grew up knowing I wanted to be a teacher, so I was lucky enough to have a university in my home state that offered an amazing program that would give me everything I needed to be a successful educator in five years. Education has always been, and will always be, a huge part of my values. Having the opportunity to learn about new languages and cultures and how the world works is why I chose UConn; I knew I could get all of this and more.

    Q: What’s your major or field of study, and what drew you to it?

    A: I am completing a dual degree in American Sign Language (ASL) education and ASL Studies (concentration in interpreting English and ASL) along with a minor in linguistics. In the first grade, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I loved going to school; I felt very welcomed by my teachers and my peers. Taking this love for school with me as I grew up, once I entered high school, I had to begin thinking about what I wanted to teach. I had taken Spanish, French, and ASL by the time I began my junior year. I knew languages were something that I loved to learn – the complexity and culture were something that truly drew me to those classes every day. That’s when I knew I wanted to be an ASL teacher – I really wanted to continue learning and teaching others about a community they might have never interacted with before. ASL has made me a more open-minded person, and I hope to help my future students develop this and more skills as they learn ASL about the Deaf community and culture.

    Q: Did you have a favorite professor or class?

    A: My favorite professor is Dr. Catherine Little. She has truly been someone who I can be myself around and who makes me feel reassured that I am on the right path and doing what I need to do. Being a part of the honors program has been rewarding, as I am learning many new skills and diving deeper into my subject area. At the same time, it is so challenging to manage research, student teaching, and social life. Dr. Little has been a person who can calm me and my peers down and make us feel that we are on the right path and that we’ll be successful. So many thanks to Dr. Little for always being there to answer panicked emails and provide many sweet treats when I just needed a break to breathe. Thank you, Catherine!

    Q: What activities were you involved in as a student?

    A: I worked at the Student Union as an audio/visual production specialist. In that job, I had the opportunity to serve as the engagement and inclusion, as well as maintenance and projects, team lead. Working this job for three years, I started out with very minimal knowledge of audio/visual work, but I loved it because of the people. My boss, Jim Wheeler, was someone who could make me laugh but also really challenged me to learn new things and eventually be a leader on the team. Having someone trust me so much to do the job is why I stayed for so long, and I was sad to go! The best part about this job, other than learning completely new skills, was having time to really have experience managing my academics and a job. Time management is something that can be tricky to figure out when you have so much going on, so this was a great opportunity and job for me during much of my college career.

    Q: What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?

    A: One thing that surprised me was how many school events there are and how many students attend! The Student Union is the campus hub, and thousands of students go there every day. So many events and meetings happen there. The Duck Hunt is my favorite. Going with a few friends to any event can make for a silly UConn memory that will last a lifetime.

    Q: What are your plans after graduation/receiving your degree?

    A: After receiving my degree, I will be returning to UConn to complete the fifth year of the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s (IB/M) program. Being the first and only student studying American Sign Language education has been interesting, as my placements in schools have been surprising and enriching. I am hopeful that I will return to my student teaching placement for my internship and continue making connections with students and staff and working on the curriculum. Additionally, I currently coach track and field at my own high school. I am looking forward to working with those student-athletes for another two seasons. Coaching has been an amazing opportunity to give back to the same program I participated in during high school.

    Q: How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in life?

    A: UConn, specifically the Neag School of Education, has prepared me by providing me with opportunities to get hands-on experience in my field and get in-depth feedback on it. I have been so lucky to learn from other educators currently in the field and have the sandbox time to figure out what kind of teacher I am. Being accepted into the Neag School has been my goal since applying to UConn, and I wouldn’t change it for the world!

    The Neag School of Education, has prepared me by providing me with opportunities to get hands-on experience in my field and get in-depth feedback on it. &#8212 Cece Echevarria

    Q: Any advice for incoming students?

    A: My advice for incoming students is to not be afraid to advocate for yourself. It is easy to get caught up in all your newfound freedom and hobbies and friends in college, but it is so important to be able to speak up for the things you need. This doesn’t only pertain to getting help if you’re struggling in a class. This is about asking for opportunities to further your skills. Internships and letters of recommendation. Getting the right information about classes you should take and how it can help you reach your goals. Being able to investigate the things that you want to do further is going to take you farther in college than anything else. Don’t be afraid to do it; the people around you will trust you and support you when they hear directly from you about your goals and how you want to achieve them.

    Q: What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?

    A: The easy answer: a women’s basketball game. A basketball game in general, yes, but the energy at a women’s game is unmatched. Go with a group of friends and have a good time. No matter where you sit, you’re bound to cheer as loud as you can, dance to good music, and hopefully catch a shirt or a pair of socks when they do a toss into the stands. Many people come to UConn for the love of the game, and I believe it is worth experiencing that energy where all UConn students can get together and cheer on our team.

    Q: What will always make you think of UConn?

    A: The Basketball Capital of the World!

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rodney Butler, Ahead of CAHNR Commencement Speech, Reflects on Decades Spent Helping His Tribe

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Rodney Butler, Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, never aspired to become a Tribal leader. Yet, he has served on tribal council for over two decades, overseeing tremendous progress for his tribe.

    Butler ‘99 (BUS) will deliver the commencement address for the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) on May 10, 2025. He will also be awarded an honorary degree “in recognition of extraordinary and lasting distinction.”

    “I can’t think of someone more deserving and better suited to usher our class of 2025 into their next chapter,” says CAHNR Dean Indrajeet Chaubey. “Rodney’s ability to make a difference through innovation, collaboration, and a drive for the common good is remarkable. It’s a model we can all look to and learn from.”

    Butler studied finance at UConn and initially intended to work on Wall Street.

    From left, Chief/Treasurer Marilyn Malerba, former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, and Rodney Butler in DC. (Contributed photo)

    “I’ve had my own savings account since I was four or five years old, and I’ve always been an avid investor,” Butler says. “The stock market was pretty steady in the 90s and my father set me up with a small investment account and I was dabbling with that and growing that, and I just fell in love with finance and analytics.”

    Butler was also a member of the UConn Football team, playing defensive back during his undergraduate years.

    After graduation, Butler returned to Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation to work as a financial analyst for Foxwoods Resort Casino. He later served as the interim CEO of Foxwoods in 2018.

    “Coming out of college and coming back to work for my tribe, it was just such an incredible honor to be able to do that, to give back to my community and work for my family,” Butler says.

    Butler transitioned to managing the Tribe’s non-gaming assets, like hotels, golf courses, and a pharmaceutical company. Through this work, Butler joined various governmental committees that support the Tribal Council.

    “I enjoyed it, and I was making contributions,” Butler says. “Even then, though, I didn’t think I would get into tribal leadership.”

    When Tribal Council elections rolled around in 2004, a cousin encouraged Butler to run. And he won.

    Two weeks later, Butler’s first child, his son, was born.

    “It gave me a much different perspective,” Butler says. “Yes, I’m doing this for my larger tribal family. But what I’m working for every single day is that baby at home and making sure that I’m doing right by him. It kept me humbled, grounded, and focused on long term success for the Tribe.”

    After seeing the Tribe through the 2008 financial crisis as its treasurer, Butler was elected to his first term as chairman in 2010. He has held the position ever since.

    Butler, center, with the UConn Native American and Indigenous Studies team at the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation powwow. (Contributed photo)

    “Because [my tribe] it’s my family, it’s personal, and every day knowing that I’m working to make a life better for them, and the tens of thousands of people who rely on Pequot, that’s very, very rewarding and keeps you driven,” Butler says.

    Despite his profile as a leader, Butler credits everything he does to community efforts.

    “What I do, especially in this position, is all about teamwork and working together for a collective success,” Butler says.

    The Mashantucket Pequot Nation was federally recognized in 1983. Since then, the tribe has made great strides developing their economy and community infrastructures.

    “What we’ve done in the last 40 years as a Tribal Nation, going from rocky ledge and wooded land, raising pigs and producing maple syrup, to a billion-dollar enterprise with multiple business units and a thriving community…to me that’s the accomplishment,” Butler says. “There’s been so much growth in a very short period of time that you just can’t help but be proud of what this community has accomplished.”

    Since 2017, the Tribe has partnered with UConn Extension to develop their agricultural infrastructure.

    This partnership has been supported by a Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture program.

    This collaboration stemmed from the initiative of tribal members who wanted to develop agriculture to support the tribe’s food sovereignty, or the ability of a community to feed itself.

    “It initially was just a labor of love by my cousins Jeremy Whipple and Councilor Menihan with a dream to achieve food sovereignty,” Butler says. “Their efforts and the relationship with UConn kept blossoming organically into a thriving agriculture department that has become a core initiative for our community.”

    Meechooôk Farm on the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is now a vibrant food producer for the tribe. The farm includes produce, cattle, hydroponic tunnels, and a sugar shack.

    In 2021, the Tribe established the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Department of Agriculture.

    “The passion of everyone at UConn for this and the commitment that UConn has made to the tribe and vice versa – these are lifelong friendships that just continue creating success as we grow our agriculture initiatives here,” Butler says.

    Butler (front left) at Meechooôk Farm on the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation with former General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Janie Simms Hipp, and CAHNR Dean Indrajeet Chaubey (Jason Sheldon/UConn Photo)

    Mashantucket Pequot recently hosted a food sovereignty conference with more than 30 tribes from the Northeast represented, highlighting their relationship with UConn and how it has supported the tribe’s food sovereignty efforts.

    “We as a tribe have the ability to provide for our own in a way that we didn’t prior,” Butler says. “We’re thankful that UConn has been committed to helping us get to this level of self-resilience from a food perspective, and we’re continuing to build on it.”

    This work is one example of many that Butler has seen throughout his life and career that highlights the importance of collaboration.

    Butler encourages this year’s graduating class to remember, as he has, that everything is built through working with others.

    “I live through the notion that people are all so interconnected and you have to realize how much we need each other,” Butler says. “Real success is pulling others in, lifting them up, working together, and having that shared success.”

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neag School Class of 2025 Student Profile: Teddi Ferraro

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Editor’s Note: As Commencement approaches, we are featuring some of our Neag School Class of 2025 graduating students over the coming days.

    Major: BS, Sport Management with minor in Communication
    Hometown: Bethel, Connecticut

    Q: Why did you choose UConn?

    A: Not only was UConn my top choice when looking into continuing my academic career, but it was close enough to my home in Connecticut yet still far enough away, and I heard amazing things about the Sport Management program. Since I graduated high school in 2021, I wasn’t able to get a real tour of the campus due to COVID restrictions, but when I drove through with my family, I knew it was the place for me! I fell in love with the campus very early on and couldn’t see myself going anywhere else. The athletics program here is also outstanding, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of that from early on in my college search. Plus, I have always been a UConn fan!

    Q: What’s your major or field of study, and what drew you to it?

    A: I am a sport management major with a minor in communication. Despite being plus-sized for most of my life, I have always been drawn to sports. My time in high school consisted mostly of working with my town’s youth baseball association and youth football and competitive cheer program. From that point on, I knew I wanted to completely immerse myself in the realm of sport despite not technically fitting the “stereotypical” description of a woman in sport; this, in fact, continues to fuel my ambition. I fell in love with the creative side of it, whether it be photography or marketing, and I knew that this was the path I was meant to follow.

    Q: Did you have a favorite professor or class?

    A: All the professors in the Sport Management program have been absolutely amazing and helpful in so many different ways. If I had to pick just one, though, Dr. Danielle DeRosa  truly has been one of my favorite professors ever. Dr. DeRosa, while not only my professor but also my advisor and I would argue my friend, has pushed me to be the best version of myself, not only academically but professionally and personally. She is the true embodiment of what a professor should be and the kind of person I strive to be in the future.

    Q: What activities were you involved in as a student?

    A: As a student I was the treasurer of the UConn Women in Sport club, a member of Sport Business Association, a UConn Athletics marketing intern, the communication specialist for the Department of Educational Leadership in the Neag School of Education, and a student youth outreach and educational assistant for UConn Husky Nutrition and Sport.

    Q: What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?

    A: Something that surprised me about UConn was how close everyone was. While UConn is such a big school with so many students, everybody knows somebody who knows somebody else. Coming from a smaller town, I knew I wanted to go to a bigger school, but I was nervous about making friends when I got here. In the end, everyone was in the same boat, and I met so many people who also knew each other. The close-knit community that UConn really has surprised me a lot.

    Q: What are your plans after graduation/receiving your degree?

    A: I think it’s okay to say that I am not completely sure what my plans are after graduating and receiving my degree. My plan for right now is to go home and work my summer job at the YMCA as a head teacher and then look for a job in sports marketing in June or August. I’m keeping an open mind to all possibilities!

    Q: How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in life?

    A: While not only helping me make some of my best friends, UConn really boosted my confidence in myself. I wouldn’t have been able to get to this point without the people I have met along the way here. I know I am capable of being my own person no matter the path that I follow. If it weren’t for UConn, I don’t know where I would be in life right now.

    While not only helping me make some of my best friends, UConn really boosted my confidence in myself. &#8212 Teddi Ferraro

    Q: Any advice for incoming students?

    A: One of my internship supervisors once gave me some advice, a Carrie Fisher quote: “Stay afraid but do it anyway.” Life gets scary sometimes, and moving to UConn could be one of those things for you. However, living through the discomfort of a new place, while scary, might be so rewarding that you might end up loving it so much! Try new things, meet new people, be afraid, but do it regardless.

    Q: What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?

    A: In true sport management fashion, everyone should at least try to attend athletic events at UConn during their time here, especially basketball! There is nothing quite like the atmosphere in Gampel Pavilion. Get out there and support the Huskies!

    Q: What will always make you think of UConn?

    A: Not to sound like a broken record, but when I think of UConn, I think of basketball, the opportunities that I have been given, and the things that I have experienced, all because of the sports, programs, and people that I have met along the way. Working games and being in Gampel Pavilion will always have a place in my heart, and I will never be able to think of UConn without it.

    MIL OSI USA News